DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreen Co. is offering pertussis immunizations at its approximately 275 points of care in Arizona as health officials in the state are urging residents to make sure they’re vaccinated against whooping cough.
Walgreens said Friday that its providing the Tdap vaccine (tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis) daily on a walk-in basis at all of its drug stores and Take Care Clinics in Arizona.
The Maricopa County Department of Public Health reported a 41% increase in its number of whooping cough cases in 2011 versus the previous year and more than double the number of cases reported in 2009, according to Walgreens.
The department is now working to educate residents about the importance of immunizations that can protect against pertussis and other vaccine-preventable diseases as part of National Infant Immunization Week, and also in the wake of the county’s first reported pertussis-related death of an infant since 2009, the drug chain noted.
Walgreens pharmacists in Arizona can administer the whooping cough vaccination to patients ages 7 to 17 with a prescription and to 18 and older without a prescription. Take Care Clinics, located at 28 Walgreens stores in Maricopa and Pima counties, can administer the vaccine to those over age 10.
"We share in the recommendations of health officials that one of the best things people can do to keep themselves and their families healthy during a possible outbreak is to get vaccinated," Laura Zimmerly, Arizona market pharmacy director for Walgreens, said in a statement. "In addition to children, who are the most vulnerable, those who care for or are in contact with children should also be immunized. We hope that through greater access to immunizations, we can keep our communities healthy and help limit the spread of the virus."
