Walgreens to provide flue shots faster and easier this season

Walgreens (NYSE:WAG)(NASDAQ:WAG) is making it faster and easier to get a flu shot this season. The nation’s largest drugstore chain today announced it will begin offering seasonal flu shots on Sept. 1 at more than 7,000 points of care nationwide, including nearly all of its stores in 50 states and almost 350 in-store Take Care Clinics. With more than 16,000 pharmacists, nurse practitioners and physician assistants licensed or certified to provide flu shots, Walgreens has the largest retail network of immunizers in the U.S. and can provide seasonal flu shots most hours its pharmacies and Take Care Clinics are open.

Beginning Sept. 8 through Sept. 30, all clinics and Walgreens pharmacies will have immunizing pharmacists or nurse practitioners on staff from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, offering shots on a walk-in basis or by appointment for $24.99. Shots are available outside those hours if an immunizing pharmacist or nurse practitioner is on duty. State age and health condition-related restrictions may apply.

“With a heightened awareness around this flu season, we’ve assembled the resources to be the go-to source for flu prevention, as well as general health and wellness, in every community we serve,” said Walgreens President and CEO Greg Wasson. “Walgreens was built on a long-standing history as a community pharmacy and retailer. Now, with our expansive network of health care professionals, we’re proud to also be a destination for trusted information and high quality, affordable health care.”

An integral part of the network includes Take Care Clinics at select Walgreens stores, which have board-certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants on staff seven days a week, including extended evening and weekend hours, to administer shots and other vaccines such as PPV (pneumonia). No appointment is necessary.

More Consumers Plan to Get Flu Shots

A new Walgreens survey found that more consumers, 50 percent, plan to get a seasonal flu shot this year, up from 43 percent who say they got one last season. Additionally, 27 percent say they are more concerned about getting the flu than they were a year ago.

Seasonal flu shots cost $24.99 and Take Care Clinics are again offering the FluMist nasal spray as an alternative to the shot for $29.99. Shots may be covered by insurance plans as well as Medicare Part B. Patients are encouraged to check with their insurance provider for coverage details.

For Walgreens store locations and pharmacy hours, call 1-800-WALGREENS or visit www.walgreens.com/flu, and for the nearest Take Care Clinic visit www.takecarehealth.com

Walgreens to Provide $1 Million Worth of Flu Shots to Uninsured

Walgreens also announced today that it’s providing $1 million worth of seasonal flu shots to uninsured adults. Shots will be distributed in the form of vouchers, which will go to eligible consumers who visit one of nine Wellness Tour bus locations in select markets across the continental U.S. Vouchers are available on a first come, first serve basis while supplies last.

“We’re here to help,” Wasson said. “And we’ll continue to explore ways in which Walgreens can assist consumers and government agencies throughout this flu season.”

Those uninsured wishing to find dates and the nearest Wellness Tour location are asked to call 1-866-484-TOUR or visit www.aarpwalgreens.com/tour.

H1N1

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says seasonal flu vaccine will not protect against the H1N1 flu virus. The vaccine is expected to be made available around mid-October and two separate shots will be required, the center says. Walgreens is working closely with the U.S. government, which is overseeing the development and disbursement of an H1N1 vaccine. More information on the H1N1 flu virus as well as vaccine availability and prioritization can be found at the CDC Web site, www.cdc.gov.

“Pharmacists and health care professionals at Walgreens and Take Care Health Systems will actively seek out opportunities to educate patients about the differences between H1N1 and seasonal flu so they can take the best steps to protect themselves,” said Allan Khoury, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, Take Care Health Systems. “While there’s certainly widespread and growing concern around H1N1, what consumers can do right now is get the seasonal flu vaccine.”

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation’s largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2008 sales of $59 billion. The company operates 6,943 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and services and cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services in America through its retail drugstores, Walgreens Health Services division and Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities). Walgreens Health and Wellness Division includes Take Care Health Systems, the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.