Walgreens To Provide Free Flu Shots To Uninsured Every Friday Until The End of November

With flu season underway, Walgreens retail pharmacies in Texas will provide free flu vaccines every Friday for uninsured patients through the end of November.

Patients can access this no-cost vaccine through vouchers available in-store. Walgreens offers 200,000 of these vouchers annually, and officials with the retail pharmacy chain report that roughly half of its stores are in medically underserved communities.

By providing these vaccines free of charge, Walgreens facilitates access to vaccines and protects these populations from vaccine-preventable diseases. Notably, Black and Hispanic communities experience higher rates of severe flu illness due to decreased vaccination rates and other socioeconomic factors.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, moderate complications from the flu include sinus and ear infections. However, complications can increase in severity, causing the respiratory disease to develop into pneumonia or inflammation of the heart, brain, muscle tissues or multi-organ failure.

The virus can also exacerbate pre-existing chronic conditions such as asthma and heart disease.

The flu vaccine is available to individuals three years and older. Officials with the retail pharmacy chain advise patients wanting to come in to receive the immunization to locate the nearest store using the Walgreens store locator.

Appointments can be made in advance online or via phone call at 1-800-Walgreens — phone lines are accessible in both Spanish and English. The vaccines will be available during regular store hours.

The available vaccine dates are Fridays, October 4, 11, 18 and 25, and Fridays, November 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29.