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 and Food 4 Less Pharmacies have been vaccinating patients this
season since the end of August and will continue to offer a convenient and
easy way to get protected from this flu season at 95 locations throughout
Southern California.
Public health officials are encouraging Americans to receive their
influenza immunizations every year. The flu is a very contagious illness
that strikes millions of Americans, resulting in over 40 million workdays
lost and 30 million physician visits annually. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), everyone should get a flu shot as
soon as the vaccine becomes available and if possible, before November. The
flu season typically peaks from late November through March in the United
States. Therefore, the best time to get a flu shot is now.
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, pregnant women, children and adolescents
from 6 months up to their 19th birthday. 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 or passing it to others.
The flu shots will be administered by licensed and specially trained
pharmacists on an ongoing basis throughout flu season or while supplies
last. For scheduling information, customers interested in obtaining the flu
shots for $25 can simply contact their neighborhood Ralphs or Food 4 Less
Pharmacy, located in select Ralphs supermarkets and Food 4 Less stores in
Southern California. Customers can also visit our website at
http://www.ralphs.com or http://www.food4less1.com and click on
Pharmacy/Health.
Ralphs and Food 4 Less Pharmacies offer customers the convenience of
having their prescriptions filled while they shop for groceries. Among the
many services offered are adult and adolescent immunizations for hepatitis
A and B, tetanus, meningitis, shingles, cervical cancer, pneumonia and flu;
customized medication reviews; memory screenings; smoking cessation; and
cholesterol screenings. Free blood pressure readings are 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 and Food 4 Less are divisions of The Kroger Co., (NYSE: KR), one
of the nation's largest food retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ralphs
and Food 4 Less currently operate 408 supermarkets in California, Nevada,
Illinois and Indiana under the Ralphs, Food 4 Less and Foods Co banner,
from its headquarters in Los Angeles. For more information, please visit
our web sites at http://www.ralphs.com or http://www.food4less.net.
SOURCE Ralphs
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Related links:
http://www.ralphs.com
http://www.food4less.net http://www.food4less1.com
CONTACT:
Terry O'Neil of Ralphs|Food 4 Less,
+1-310-900-3533
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