CAMP HILL, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rite Aid announced today the availability of seasonal flu shots at Rite Aid pharmacies nationwide. Customers can visit any of Rite Aid’s nearly 4,600 convenient pharmacy locations to receive a flu shot from a certified immunizing Rite Aid pharmacist, subject to state regulations. Flu shots are covered by most insurance plans, including Medicare Part B and are available during pharmacy hours; no appointment is necessary. To locate the nearest Rite Aid pharmacy, visit www.riteaid.com or call 1-800-RITE-AID.
“Immunizations play a key role in a person’s overall health and wellness year-round, but this is especially true when it comes to protecting oneself from the flu,” said Jocelyn Konrad, Rite Aid executive vice president of pharmacy. “With more than 11,000 immunizing pharmacists and thousands of locations across the country, getting a flu shot at Rite Aid is a convenient and easy way for people to make sure that they are protected.”
Rite Aid pharmacies offer a number of vaccine options that may include the trivalent flu vaccine, which offers protection against three strains of the flu: the influenza A H3N2 virus, the influenza B virus and the influenza A H1N1; a high-dose influenza vaccine for people age 65 and older, and a quadrivalent vaccine which protects against an additional influenza B virus. Upon request, Rite Aid pharmacists can administer an intradermal flu shot, which uses a smaller needle that is injected into the skin instead of the muscle, 18-64 years of age.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone six months and older get a flu vaccination as soon as it is available because it takes up to 14 days to develop full protection against the flu. While the CDC recommends flu shots for everyone over six months, certain groups of people are at greater risk for complications from the flu. These groups include: people with diabetes, pregnant women, adults over 65, children under 5, those with asthma and other chronic lung diseases, those with kidney and liver disorders, heart disease patients and those with compromised immune systems.
Added Konrad, “We also encourage people to use flu season as an opportunity to review their immunization history and need for other vaccinations. Rite Aid pharmacists can review a person’s immunization history and make recommendations for additional vaccinations based on the individual’s unique needs.”
Additional Immunization Needs
Receiving the annual flu shot also presents an opportunity to review other immunization needs. Subject to state regulations, Rite Aid pharmacists are able to administer vaccines that protect against tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis (Tdap), as well as pneumonia, and shingles at the same time as the seasonal flu shot. One dose of Tdap is routinely given at age 11 or 12, and the CDC recommends a Td (tetanus/diphtheria) booster be administered every 10 years. The CDC also recommends a pneumococcal vaccine for those 65 and older and the shingles vaccine for people aged 60 and older. To better understand personal immunization needs, customers can visit Rite Aid’s Vaccine Central at www.riteaid.com/vaccinecentral, to complete an immunization evaluation, track their personal immunization history, and find other educational resources on immunizations.
Shield Your Workforce Against the Flu
To help employers fight the flu, Rite Aid will once again have a team dedicated to planning and implementing onsite workplace flu clinics staffed by certified immunizing Rite Aid pharmacists. Rite Aid is also able to offer employers a voucher program, in which employees would receive a flu shot voucher to use at any Rite Aid pharmacy. In addition, immunizations against other vaccine preventable diseases are also available for employees, subject to state regulations. For more information, employers can visit www.shieldmyworkforce.com or call 1-800-622-2106.
Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE:RAD) is one of the nation's leading drugstore chains with nearly 4,600 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia and fiscal 2016 annual revenues of $30.7 billion. Information about Rite Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available through the company's website at www.riteaid.com.
