Why You Should Choose Urgent Care for Vaccines

The last thing anyone with a busy lifestyle wants to do is make a doctor’s appointment for a vaccine. But keeping up on your immunizations is more important than ever.

Whether it’s your annual flu shot, a scheduled booster, or immunizations for international travel, getting a vaccine doesn’t need to be a hassle.

Your local urgent care center may be the answer.

Should You Go to Urgent Care for Vaccines?

Urgent care can be an excellent choice for getting vaccinated. We all know choosing where to go for immunizations often comes down to convenience.

Urgent care centers are open with flexible hours, including weekends, and often don’t require an appointment. This convenience makes life much easier for those busy with work, the kids’ school schedule, or other commitments.

Countless studies show vaccines are safe and prevent potentially life-threatening diseases. They are a crucial component of staying healthy for both children and adults. 

Getting a vaccine doesn’t need to be a hassle. Here are a few reasons why choosing urgent care for your next vaccine is a good idea:

• Convenient – Most urgent care centers let you walk in any day of the week, including during extended hours and weekends, to receive a vaccine. This is far more reliable than hoping your drugstore pharmacy is open after work or trying to schedule an appointment with your primary care provider (PCP).
• Affordable – Urgent care centers usually accept a wide range of health insurance plans. However, rates tend to be very affordable if you plan on paying out of pocket.
• Available – Many urgent care centers offer a large selection of vaccines. This includes annual jabs like the flu vaccine as well as Tdap, MMR, Hepatitis A & B, and COVID-19.

What Types of Vaccines Can I Get at Urgent Care?

Your vaccine needs may vary depending on your age, lifestyle, and medical history. Fortunately, you can walk into most urgent care centers and get one or more vaccines. Speaking with a provider about which vaccines you should get is the best way to ensure you are fully protected.

A few vaccines offered by most urgent care centers are:

• Influenza (flu) – Everyone six months and older should get a flu vaccine yearly. This protects you from the influenza virus that causes respiratory illness, especially during winter months.
• Td (tetanus and diphtheria) – A combination vaccine offering protection against tetanus and diphtheria. Tetanus is a type of bacterial infection that can be fatal if untreated and often comes from a puncture wound by a contaminated object. Most people should get a tetanus vaccine every ten years and/or after getting a “dirty” wound. Diphtheria is another bacterial infection spread from person to person, causing severe respiratory symptoms, and can be deadly.
• Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) – Offers protection against tetanus and diphtheria as well as pertussis, or whooping cough. This vaccine is often given as a booster to healthcare workers and adults who will be around babies and children.
• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) – Protects against a trio of viral diseases that result in a widespread rash, respiratory symptoms, and are highly contagious.
• Hepatitis A & B – Vaccines that can be given together or separately to offer protection against hepatitis, a severe liver infection. Hepatitis A comes from contaminated food and water. Hepatitis B spreads through contact with infected body fluids. 
• COVID-19 – Offers protection against viral COVID-19 infection, which can lead to severe or fatal respiratory symptoms.
• Childhood Vaccinations – The CDC recommends that children receive multiple doses of more than ten different types of vaccines as they age. Your local urgent care center may offer some or all of these vaccines.
• Travel Vaccinations – Those traveling internationally, especially to areas with poor sanitation and increased spread of disease, may need special vaccinations to stay healthy. The CDC’s long list of travel vaccines includes vaccines against chickenpox (varicella), cholera, polio, rabies, typhoid, yellow fever, and more.

It’s always a good idea to call your local urgent care center before you visit to ensure they offer the vaccine you need. State and regional differences may affect which vaccines are available.

Choose Urgent Care for Your Next Vaccine

Choosing to get vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect your health. Choosing urgent care is the most convenient, affordable, and efficient way to get your next vaccine.

Ready to get vaccinated? Find an urgent care center near you now.

When you or a loved one is sick or injured, where do you turn? A visit to the emergency room (ER) could end up in an hours-long wait before you are even seen. Trying to schedule an appointment with your primary care provider (PCP) isn’t always an option when you’re dealing with a sprain, fracture, or case of the flu.

Urgent care is the answer when you need care that can’t wait but isn’t severe enough for a trip to the ER.

Deciding when to use urgent care isn’t always easy, though. Understanding what services most urgent care centers offer and what you can expect during your visit can help.

When Should I Go to Urgent Care?

It’s easy to picture urgent care like the emergency room or your regular doctor’s office. Many people have misconceptions about what is. The truth is that urgent care is a unique setting offering many of the benefits of both the PCP and the ER.

Urgent care centers are designed to treat a wide range of common conditions. If you’re experiencing any of the following, a visit to urgent care is a good idea:

• Flu symptoms
• Seasonal allergies
• Sprain or strain
• Minor fractures
• Minor cuts
• Nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea
• Pain or burning with urination
• Fever
• Ear or sinus pain
• Animal bites
• Minor allergic reactions

Treating illnesses and injuries isn’t all urgent care does, though. Most centers also offer services like drug testing, physicals, lab work, and more.  

When Not to Visit Urgent Care

While urgent care is a great option for treating most common illnesses and injuries, it isn’t always the best choice. When you’re dealing with a serious or life-threatening medical emergency, you should go to the nearest ER immediately.

Symptoms that need an ER visit include:

• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Head injuries
• Severe bleeding
• Sudden vision changes
• Slurred speech
• Weakness or numbness on one side of the body
• Serious burns
• Seizures

Remember, if the condition is life-threatening or your instincts tell you it’s an emergency, go to the ER right away.

What are the Benefits of Going to Urgent Care?

Perhaps the biggest benefit of an urgent care visit is the convenience. Most urgent care centers offer extended hours, including openings on the weekends, to accommodate your busy schedule. When other options are closed, urgent care is ready to help.

Here are a few more reasons why you should consider urgent care next time you or a loved one has an illness or injury:

• One-stop care – Urgent care centers are designed to diagnose and treat your condition efficiently. That’s why most centers offer both x-ray and lab services on-site.
• You’ll save time – Most urgent care patients are in and out in under an hour. Walk-ins are always welcomed, and you can also schedule same-day appointments at most urgent care centers.
• It’s affordable – Most insurance plans are accepted at urgent care. If yours isn’t, self-pay rates tend to be much more affordable than other options.
• Care for the whole family – Unlike a PCP, who may only accept adults or children, urgent care can treat patients of all ages. Whether you are dealing with an injury or your child is battling an illness, urgent care is ready to help.

Urgent Care Close to Home

The next time you or a loved one needs non-emergent medical care, urgent care might be the answer. Urgent care centers are often located conveniently close to your home or neighborhood, which means compassionate care is never too far away.

Need treatment for an injury or illness? Find an urgent care center near you now.

Finding somewhere to get lab work done can be a headache. This leaves many people wondering if urgent care is a good place to go for lab testing. The answer is yes.

Urgent care lab testing services are convenient and accessible.

Whether you’re looking for a COVID-19 test, an STI test, a urine drug screening, or a reliable pregnancy test, your local urgent care center is the best place to go.

What Lab Tests Can Be Done at Urgent Care?

Lab testing helps give doctors a better understanding of the health problems you’re facing. They can also confirm your diagnosis and guide treatment options.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined 113 unique diagnostic tests. While not all of these are available at urgent care centers, many of the most common tests are.

You can expect the following lab testing services to be available at most urgent care centers:

• Rapid respiratory testing – These swabs test for common respiratory infections. This includes COVID-19, influenza (flu), RSV, and more.
• Other rapid testing – This includes tests for other common infections, such as strep and mono.
• Urine testing – A quick urine sample can be used for diagnostic tests like a urinalysis, alcohol or drug screening, urinary tract infections (UTIs), and pregnancy.
• Blood testing – A blood sample can be used to look at blood glucose (blood sugar) levels, A1C, metabolic panels, complete blood count (CBC), drug screening, thyroid levels, and cholesterol levels.
• STD/STI testing – Many types of testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can be performed at urgent care. This includes tests for genital herpes, syphilis, trichomoniasis, HPV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and more.
• Tuberculosis (TB) testing – A requirement for many healthcare workers and anyone else who might be exposed, TB tests can be performed at most urgent care clinics.

How Fast Can I Get Results from Urgent Care Labs?

Performing diagnostic labs on-site allows your urgent care provider to make a diagnosis and prescribe the best treatment as quickly as possible.

But not all tests are the same.

For some, such as rapid tests for COVID-19, flu, strep, RSV, and mono, results can be determined in minutes. This lets your provider diagnose and treat your illness in one convenient visit.

Other tests take longer. While many labs can be analyzed on-site, some need to be sent to an outside facility with specialized equipment. This may mean you have to wait for your results.

Regardless, being able to walk in for lab testing at most urgent care locations will save you time compared to scheduling a visit with your primary care provider (PCP). It’s also extremely affordable since most insurance plans are accepted and self-pay costs are low for those without insurance.

Urgent Care is Best for Fast Lab Testing

The next time you need a lab test, whether it’s for illness, a new job, or peace of mind, consider visiting your local urgent care. You can walk in when it’s convenient and can even get results on the same day depending on the type of test you need.

Time to get a lab test? Find an urgent care center near you now.