Vaccines and flu shots in Palo Alto

Every fall, Palo Alto pharmacies put out "flu shots today" signs and health systems open their vaccine schedules. Flu and COVID vaccines are widely available in town, but where you go depends on your insurance, your age and how you like to book. This guide lists the places residents can get vaccinated and points to the official pages for current guidance.

This page does not give medical advice. It does not say who should get which vaccine or when. Those decisions belong with you and your doctor or pharmacist, informed by public health guidance. In an emergency, call 911. Details come from the providers' and agencies' own pages as they read in October 2026.

Where to find current guidance

Vaccine recommendations shifted in 2025 and 2026. Federal guidance changed. California now works with Oregon, Washington and Hawaii in the West Coast Health Alliance, which issues its own recommendations. In September 2026 the California Department of Public Health and the alliance released recommendations for the 2026 to 2027 respiratory virus season. A county notice summarizing them stressed protection for the youngest and oldest residents, people at higher risk including pregnant people and those who live or work with them, with a new emphasis on healthcare workers.

Rather than restate recommendations that can change, we point to the sources:

• California Department of Public Health: its respiratory viruses pages and the 2026 to 2027 recommendations document. CDPH also runs the My Turn vaccine scheduling site.
• Santa Clara County Public Health: the county public health site posts local updates and clinic information.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: the CDC flu pages cover the flu vaccine nationally.
• Your doctor or pharmacist, who can apply the guidance to your health history.

The county notice also said all vaccines CDPH recommends continue to be covered by health insurance regulated in California. Plans differ in the details, so check yours.

Pharmacies in Palo Alto

For most adults, a drugstore is the quickest option. All five chain pharmacies in town list vaccines on their store pages, with booking through each chain's website or app.

Pharmacy counters close earlier than the stores and keep shorter weekend hours. Our pharmacies guide lists the counter hours. A few practical points:

• Book ahead. Supply at a single store can vary early in the season.
• Ages. Pharmacies may have age limits for some vaccines. Families with young children often go to the pediatrician.
• Bring your card. Vaccines are usually billed to your medical or pharmacy coverage.
• Two at once. Ask the pharmacist whether you can get more than one vaccine in a visit.

Through your health system

If you have a regular doctor, their office is often the simplest place to get vaccinated, since your record stays in one system.

Stanford Health Care

Stanford patients can ask their primary care office about vaccines, by phone or through the MyHealth portal. Our Stanford Hospital page explains how the system is organized.

Sutter Health's Palo Alto Medical Foundation

PAMF patients can ask their care team or check My Health Online. Sutter's Palo Alto Center runs a sensory-friendly clinic for children with disabilities, anxiety or phobias around vaccinations and blood draws. See our Palo Alto Medical Foundation guide.

Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser's Mountain View Medical Offices at 555 Castro Street list adult, child and women's injection clinics and a seasonal flu vaccination hotline. All clinical services there are by appointment. Our Kaiser guide covers the nearest Kaiser sites.

VA Palo Alto

Enrolled veterans can ask their VA care team about vaccines. The Palo Alto VA Medical Center at 3801 Miranda Avenue lists primary care and pharmacy among its services. Our VA Palo Alto page explains how to enroll.

The county immunization clinic

Santa Clara County Public Health runs the Public Health Pharmacy Travel and Immunization Clinic in San Jose. The county page lists:

• Address: 976 Lenzen Avenue, Suite 1100, San Jose, CA 95126.
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 5 p.m. Closed weekends and county holidays.
• Phone: (408) 792-5200.
• Who: routine immunizations for adults 19 and older, plus travel vaccines. "All are welcome regardless of immigration status."
• Booking: appointments are highly recommended and walk-in spots are limited. Arrive 15 minutes early with your immunization records and insurance card.
• Cost: vaccine costs apply if insurance does not cover them fully. Most pharmacy benefit plans are accepted. A travel health visit carries a $50 consultation fee.

The page does not name specific vaccines in stock, so call to ask about flu and COVID vaccines before you make the drive.

Travel vaccines

Planning a trip abroad brings a different set of shots. Three local options list travel health services:

• Santa Clara County's clinic on Lenzen Avenue offers 45-minute travel health visits with a $50 consultation fee plus vaccine costs. Its page lists some travel vaccines it does not offer, including Japanese encephalitis, dengue and tick-borne encephalitis.
• Walgreens at 4170 El Camino Real lists travel health consultations and travel vaccines.
• Kaiser members can use the adult travel clinic listed at the Mountain View Medical Offices.

Book several weeks before you leave. Some vaccines need more than one dose or need time to take effect, so a last-minute visit may not cover everything. If you are traveling for work, ask whether your employer's health plan covers travel vaccines. Bring your itinerary and any past vaccine records so the pharmacist or clinician can see what you already have.

Children and students

Most Palo Alto children get vaccines at their pediatrician's office. Sutter's sensory-friendly clinic is one option for children who find shots hard. For school requirements, Palo Alto Unified follows California's immunization rules; our PAUSD enrollment guide explains the paperwork for new families. Ask your pediatrician about seasonal flu and COVID vaccines for your child.

Older adults and caregivers

Medicare covers many vaccines, though which part of Medicare pays can depend on the vaccine. Ask your pharmacist or check your plan before you go. Homebound residents and caregivers can find help through the groups in our resources for older adults guide.

Frequently asked questions