LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Now that Summer is over, it's time to
start preparing for cooler weather and the potential flu season by getting
vaccinated against the influenza virus at your neighborhood Ralphs and Food 4
Less Pharmacies.
Ralphs Pharmacies have flu vaccine available and are currently offering a
convenient and easy way to get protected from this season's potential outbreak
at 85 locations throughout California.
Public health officials are encouraging Americans to receive their
influenza immunizations this year, saying that the virus that is most likely
to appear during the 2003-2004 flu season will be a very strong one.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), influenza
contributes to an average 36,000 annual U.S. deaths and puts 114,000 Americans
in the hospital. Contributing to these figures is the fact that only about
70 million people get the flu vaccine -- which is only half of the number of
people at high risk of the disease, let alone the entire population.
Many health experts recommend yearly flu shots for everyone 50 years of
age or older, anyone who has a serious long-term health problem, anyone whose
immune system is weakened, and pregnant women past the third month of
pregnancy. The CDC also recommends annual flu shots for all health care
professionals, students and staff at schools to prevent outbreaks, and
virtually anyone who wants to reduce their chance of catching the flu.
The flu shots will be available on an ongoing basis throughout flu season.
For scheduling information, customers interested in obtaining the $18 flu
shots can simply contact their neighborhood Ralphs-operated pharmacy, which
are located in selected Ralphs supermarkets throughout California and
Food 4 Less stores in Southern California; or visit our website at
http://www.ralphs.com or http://www.food4less1.com and click on Pharmacy/Health.
Ralphs has an ample supply of the flu vaccines to service its customers,
which will be administered only by licensed and specially trained pharmacists.
Ralphs Pharmacies offer customers the convenience of having their
prescriptions filled while they shop for groceries. Among the many services
offered are back-to-school immunizations, adult hepatitis shots, flu shots and
cholesterol screenings. Free blood pressure testing is also available. Most
pharmacies are open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m. on weekends. (Check your local store for hours.)
Ralphs Grocery Company was founded in 1873 and operates more than
475 conventional and warehouse-style supermarkets in California and southern
Nevada under the names Ralphs, Food 4 Less (Southern California), Foods Co
(Central and Northern California), and Cala/Bell (San Francisco Bay area),
from its headquarters in Los Angeles. The company is a division of The
Kroger Co., (NYSE: KR), one of the nation's largest food retailers based in
Cincinnati, Ohio.
SOURCE Ralphs/Food 4 Less
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Related links:
http://www.ralphs.com
http://www.food4less1.com
CONTACT:
Terry O'Neil of Ralphs/Food 4 Less,
+1-310-884-4680
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