Rhode Island, U.S.A. — CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic announced on August 20 that flu vaccinations are now available at all of their locations nationwide.

“Getting a flu shot is the first and most important step you can take to protect yourself and your family from getting sick with influenza,” said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark. “Flu season can be unpredictable and, because it takes about two weeks after being vaccinated to develop full protection, a flu shot is recommended as soon as vaccine is available.”

The 2012 seasonal flu vaccine includes protection against the H1N1 influenza strain as well as two new strains: H3N2 and a B strain.

Here are the “Top 5″ reasons you should get a flu shot at CVS/pharmacy or MinuteClinic this season.

• CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic have 20,000 pharmacists and nurse practitioners ready to help people on their path to better health with a flu shot.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone who is at least 6 months old get a flu vaccine every year to protect against catching the flu. More than 20,000 immunizing health care professionals at CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic are available to provide this important preventive health care service.
“Influenza causes between 3,600 to 49,000 deaths and 200,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. annually. Receiving a flu shot can reduce the chance of becoming infected by up to 70%,” said Papatya Tankut, RPh, Vice President of Pharmacy Professional Services, CVS/pharmacy.

• CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic are two of the most convenient places to get a flu shot.

More than 7,300 CVS/pharmacy stores and nearly 600 MinuteClinic sites inside select CVS/pharmacy locations are providing flu shots every day including evening and weekends, no appointment needed.

• A flu shot at CVS/pharmacy or MinuteClinic provides great value.

This flu season, customers will receive a 20% Off CVS/pharmacy Shopping Pass when they get a flu shot at CVS or MinuteClinic. The Shopping Pass can be used with CVS/pharmacy’s ExtraCare card to save 20 percent off non-pharmacy purchases up to $100.
A seasonal flu shot at CVS/pharmacy or MinuteClinic costs $31.99. Many health plans, including Medicare Part B and TRICARE, typically cover the full cost of a flu shot. Direct medical billing for many national and regional health plans that cover all or part of the cost of a flu shot is also available.

• CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic offer a range of flu vaccines to fit patients’ needs.

In addition to the regular seasonal flu shot, CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic will offer patients the option to receive Fluzone High-Dose or Fluzone Intradermal vaccine at CVS/pharmacy or MinuteClinic this season. The High-Dose vaccine contains four times the antigens as the seasonal flu vaccine. It is intended for people 65 and older to provide better protection for this age group, who are at greater risk of developing severe illness from the flu. The Intradermal vaccine is approved for patients ages 18-64 and has a 90 percent smaller needle than the regular flu shot. It injects the vaccine just under the skin instead of into the muscle.

• Flu shots are just one of the vaccinations available at CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic.

“In addition to flu shots, CVS pharmacists and MinuteClinic nurse practitioners are available to provide a number of other vaccinations, including pneumonia, whooping cough and several others,” said Paulette Thabault, ANP-BC, JD, CNPO, Chief Nurse Practitioner Officer, MinuteClinic.

Certain immunizations have age and location restrictions. Visit https://vaccines.cvs.com for more information on the vaccines offered, to schedule a vaccination appointment or find a CVS/pharmacy or MinuteClinic location for a walk-in vaccination.

The article Five Reasons Why You Should Get a Flu Shot appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Rhode Island, U.S.A. — Throughout the month of August, which is National Immunization Awareness Month, CVS/pharmacy’s Project Health (“Proyecto Salud” in Spanish) is offering free health screening events focusing on vaccination reviews, vision acuity, glucose, blood pressure and BMI (Body Mass Index) for individuals in multicultural communities who have difficulty accessing preventive care.

Along with these free health screening events, CVS pharmacy designated Project Health store locations are also holding “Flu Voucher Fridays” each week during the month of August. Qualifying Project Health attendees who complete the entire health screening process and identify themselves as not having health insurance will be eligible to receive a voucher redeemable for a flu shot at CVS pharmacy or Minute Clinic this flu season.

More than 200 Project Health events will take place during the month of August in the following cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

Parents are encouraged to bring their children’s immunization records to the events in preparation for school. Although children age seven and older can participate in only two screenings – vaccination reviews and vision acuity – they are eligible to qualify to receive a flu shot voucher. The minimum vaccination age at CVS pharmacy will vary based on the state in which they are being offered.

Project Health was launched in February and is expected to deliver more than $21 million worth of free health screenings to multicultural communities by the end of 2012. The program will focus on dental hygiene in October and diabetes in November.

“Preventive care is so important, particularly when we’re talking about the yearly influenza vaccine,” said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., M.P.H., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark. “Project Health is a program that offers people the chance to assess their health and the health of their families and gives them the information they need to help them on their path to better health.”

Project Health events, while offered to address and raise awareness of ethnic health disparities, are open to everyone and will not require an appointment. Once screened, CVS pharmacy will help patients through on-site consultations with bi-lingual (Spanish/English) nurse practitioners and pharmacists who will analyze the results and refer patients to no-cost or low-cost medical facilities within that neighborhood or to their primary care physician should additional follow-up be required.

In 2011, CVS pharmacy provided free and low-cost medical screenings and services valued at $150 per person through the To Your Health/A Su Salud programs, which evolved into the Project Health campaign.  Last year over 162,000 people were screened, underscoring the demand for these important services. Of those tested, the program detected that:

• 57 percent had at least one abnormal screening result
• 48 percent had at least one abnormal risk factor for heart disease
• 42 percent had risk factors for osteoporosis
• 27 percent had abnormal glucose readings

The Project Health events will be held at designated CVS pharmacy locations on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, from 2 – 6 pm daily with no appointment necessary. For more information, and a full calendar of Project Health events, please go to www.cvs.com/projecthealth or www.cvs.com/proyectosalud.

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