Walmart this week announced it will expand its immunization offerings to more than 2,700 Walmart stores across the U.S. It will work with Mollen Immunization Clinics to offer ten of the immunizations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at events from August 27 through November 15.
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many adults are not up-to-date with recommended life-saving immunizations. Vaccinations may not be top-of-mind while the weather is still warm, but they are a critical part of public health, especially in light of recent outbreaks of whooping cough and shingles,” said John Agwunobi, a doctor and president of Walmart U.S. health and wellness. “We are making it easy and affordable for our customers to receive their vaccinations – while on their normal shopping trips they can simply stop by immunization events, which will accept thousands of insurance plans and offer low price options for our cash paying customers.”
Just this week the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported the death of a Forsyth County two-month-old to whooping cough. Immunization relies on herd immunity to protect those who are not immune to a particular disease, or cannot yet be immunized. Herd immunity requires that a large portion of the population be immunized.
The immunizations at Walmart will be available to anyone three years or older. The vaccines available include ones for pneumonia, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Chickenpox, HPV, MMR, meningitis, shingles, tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough, though specific offerings may vary by store. This year’s flu shots will also be available for $25.