DEERFIELD, Ill. — New regulations in Florida have enabled Walgreen Co. to make a wider array of vaccinations available at all of its 851 drug stores in the state.
Walgreens said Monday that the new measures permit pharmacists in Florida to administer a broader range of vaccines, and the drug chain is now offering shingles and pneumonia immunizations daily in its pharmacies there.
The Florida Department of Health recently approved new regulations that allow certified pharmacists to administer the Zostavax (shingles) and also pneumococcal (pneumonia) vaccines, according to Walgreens.
Licensed and certified pharmacist immunizers in Florida also can administer flu vaccines, which Walgreens offers daily at all of its stores in the state throughout the flu season.
"With more than 26,000 immunization-trained pharmacists, we’ve demonstrated through flu season and other health initiatives the important role Walgreens can play in providing convenient neighborhood access to immunizations and other preventive health care services," Terry Gubbins, market pharmacy director at Walgreens, said in a statement. "This is an excellent opportunity for our pharmacists to help educate residents about the importance of these vaccinations and collaborate further with our local health care providers to help improve immunization rates in our communities."
Walgreens noted that, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report in February, about 45,000 U.S. adults die annually from diseases that could be prevented by vaccines, whereas fewer than 1,000 Americans die of childhood diseases that are vaccine-preventable.
