Walgreens kicks off flu season with 2nd annual Flu Index

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens and its Healthcare Clinics on Thursday announced the availability of flu vaccinations at all points of care. According to the retail pharmacy operator, 90% of those patients seeking flu shots are covered under some form of insurance.  

 

“For nearly a decade, Walgreens has been administering flu shots to help protect our patients, customers and those around them throughout the flu season,” Richard Ashworth, Walgreens president of pharmacy and retail operations, said. “With unprecedented convenience and broader coverage than ever before from health plans and insurers, it’s not only the most important preventive measure you can take for flu season, it’s also now one of the easiest.” 

 

Flu shots are offered on a walk-in basis during all pharmacy and clinic hours while an immunizing health professional is on duty, including evenings, overnights at 24-hour pharmacy locations, weekends and holidays, Walgreens stated. Age restrictions vary by state at Walgreens pharmacies, while Healthcare Clinics can provide immunizations for patients age 2 and older. 

 

Walgreens also kicked off its Walgreens Flu Index. First introduced last year, the Flu Index is a weekly report that provides state- and market-specific information regarding flu activity.

 

According to the Index, the states with the highest rates of influenza last year were Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, Texas and Tennessee. Portland, Ore., Hartford, Conn. and Boston were the markets with the least amount of flu activity.  

 

The Walgreens Flu Index is compiled using retail prescription data for antiviral medications used to treat influenza across Walgreens locations nationwide. The data is analyzed at state and geographic market levels to measure absolute impact and incremental change of antiviral medications on a per store average basis, and does not include markets in which Walgreens has fewer than 20 retail locations.

 

The Flu Index is not intended to illustrate levels or severity of flu activity, but rather, illustrate which populations are experiencing the highest incidence of flu.