Walgreens now offers the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended updated COVID-19 boosters to eligible individuals ages 5 years and older at select locations nationwide.
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Scheduling an appointment is preferred and available starting today via the Walgreens app, 1-800-WALGREENS, or online at Walgreens.com/ScheduleVaccine. Walgreens offers convenient, neighborhood locations and appointments that fit family schedules, including evenings and weekends.
The updated COVID-19 booster offers more effective protection against COVID-19, including Omicron BA.4 and BA.5, the latest variants and the dominant virus strains in the United States.
“With this expanded authorization, nearly everyone can receive the updated COVID-19 booster at Walgreens. It is important that all eligible family members – both adults and children – get vaccinated with an updated booster dose, in addition to an annual flu shot to be protected this season,” said Anita Patel, PharmD, vice president, pharmacy services development, Walgreens. “The booster for younger populations means added protection from a new COVID-19 infection, which will help alleviate concerns parents may have as their children attend school and participate in more activities indoors.”
The recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in the United Kingdom1 is being regarded as a warning sign that the U.S. will see a similar increase in COVID-19 activity soon as people are spending more time indoors and many respiratory viruses are circulating. Therefore, getting up to date on recommended vaccines like the updated COVID-19 booster and flu shot remains a critical preventive measure to provide added protection and help lessen the severity of disease.
What Parents and Guardians Need to Know:
- Expanded Eligibility. Children ages 5-11 who completed a COVID-19 vaccine primary series or received a booster dose at least two months ago can now receive an updated COVID-19 booster dose. Children ages 5 years and older are eligible to receive Pfizer’s updated COVID-19 booster dose, and children ages 6 years and older are eligible to receive Pfizer’s or Moderna’s updated COVID-19 booster dose.
- Date of birth is needed to confirm eligibility. Parents or legal guardians scheduling an appointment need to enter the birthdate of the child to be vaccinated to ensure they receive the appropriate vaccine. Once confirmed, the scheduler will guide customers to locations where vaccines are available for their age group.
- A parent or guardian must be present. All children must have a parent or legal guardian schedule an appointment on their behalf using Walgreens guest scheduling capabilities, and a parent or legal guardian must be present at the time of vaccination.
- Get protection from the flu at the same time. To save a trip, children receiving an updated COVID-19 booster can also get a flu shot or other CDC recommended routine immunizations during a single visit.
Walgreens pharmacy team members have administered over 70 million COVID-19 vaccinations to date. Licensed pharmacists may administer recommended vaccinations to children ages 3 and older as part of the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act. Walgreens is the largest pediatric vaccine provider among retail pharmacies and has extensive experience administering COVID-19 vaccines to eligible populations.
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