CVS Health to mark National Influenza Vaccination Week

With flu season set to kick into gear soon, CVS Health is marking National Influenza Vaccination Week by reminding patients to get their flu shots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention established the week of awareness to remind patients to get vaccinated. The Woonsocket, R.I.-based company recently ran a survey that found that 61% of patients get a flu vaccine every year, or plan to get one this year.

"The influenza virus is highly contagious and can be easily spread through a workplace environment through direct contact with co-workers or infected surfaces," chief nurse practitioner for CVS Health’s MinuteClinic Angela PAtterson said. “Influenza infection can have potentially serious effects and getting vaccinated is vital to staying healthy, especially when working alongside co-workers who may have already contracted the virus.”

The company’s survey also found that among patients planning to get vaccinated, 37% think about convenience, 36% consider doctor recommendations and 35% think about where their insurance is accepted. It also found that 65% of Americans still go to work when feeling ill from flu-like symptoms.

CVS Health noted that most insurance plans cover the flu shot at no cost to patients, and that it offers the vaccine through its more than 9,700 CVS Pharmacy locations and 1,100 MinuteClinic locations. They’re given seven days a week on a walk-in basis. The company said that patients in certain states who get a flu shot at CVS Pharmacy or MinuteClinic will receive a coupon for $5 off a $25 CVS Pharmacy purchase, with patients who get a shot at a Target location in certain states getting a $5 Target coupon.