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Walgreens Health Corner Clinics in Kansas City Ready Flu Shots for National Influenza Vaccination Week From Nov. 27 to Dec. 3

Posted on: Sunday, 26 November 2006, 12:00 CST

Ten Health Corner Clinics in Kansas City, operated by Take Care Health Systems and located inside Walgreens drugstores, are fully stocked with flu shots in anticipation of The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Influenza Vaccination Week from Nov. 27 to Dec. 3. According to the CDC, the week-long initiative is designed to raise awareness of the importance of continuing flu vaccination, as well as foster greater use of flu vaccine through the end of the year and beyond.

"For the first time, the CDC has identified a week solely to bring attention to the importance of getting a flu shot throughout the end of this year and into early next year," said Nancy Zaner, Lead Take Care Nurse Practitioner in Kansas City. "Take Care Health offers an easy access point for receiving the vaccine and protecting yourself from the flu -- we're available seven days a week, don't require an appointment, and are fully stocked with vaccine through the remainder of the season."

Due to influenza's unpredictability, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that the influenza vaccine be offered throughout the entire flu season, even after it has appeared or begun appearing in a community. Vaccinations are recommended for anyone wanting to decrease their risk. It takes two weeks after the vaccination for the body to be fully prepared to protect against the flu.

A recent nationwide CDC survey, sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, revealed gaps in public perception on flu vaccination and treatment. According to the survey, 43 percent of individuals believe that the flu is not a serious enough disease to warrant vaccination. Yet each year, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized because of influenza complications. Other misconceptions: 46 percent of respondents believe that the vaccine can cause influenza, while many stated that vaccination in December or later was too late to be effective.

Take Care Nurse Practitioners provide vaccines to patients 9 years of age and older, and have already administered close to 6,000 shots this season in Kansas City. The cost of a flu vaccination at Health Corner Clinics is $25, but is often covered by insurance.

Flu shots are available at all Kansas City area Health Corner Clinics Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and no appointments are necessary. They are located directly across from the pharmacy inside the following Walgreens drugstores:

Missouri

Kansas City - 401 NE Barry Rd.

Kansas City - 2630 NE Vivion Rd.

Kansas City - 3845 Broadway Street

Raytown - 9300 E. Gregory Blvd.

Independence - 3915 S. Noland Rd.

Lee's Summit - 1801 E. Langsford Rd.

Belton - 1400 E. North Ave.

Kansas

Overland Park- 7500 Metcalf Ave.

Overland Park - 8450 151st St.

Lenexa - 15100 W. 87th St.

Take Care Health accepts most commercial insurance plans, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City, Coventry, Humana, UnitedHealthCare as well as Medicare and Medicaid plans.

About Take Care Health Systems

Take Care Health Systems (www.takecarehealth.com) is a leading independent operator of convenient care clinics. Take Care Health's vision is to combine best practices in medicine and the expertise and personal care of Take Care Nurse Practitioners to provide high-quality, accessible and affordable health care to Americans. Take Care Health has a 98 percent patient satisfaction rating at its 36 health care centers and has treated close to 60,000 patients since November 2005. Take Care Health is a founding member of the Convenient Care Association (CCA).

Source: Business Wire

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