H1N1 flu vaccine available at CVS/pharmacy locations in Alabama, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New York and Pennsylvania and at MinuteClinic locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut

WOONSOCKET, R.I., Dec. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Caremark announced today that it will provide H1N1 flu vaccinations at select CVS/pharmacy locations in the States of Alabama, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Pennsylvania and New York as well at MinuteClinic locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut beginning Thursday, December 31.

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Public health officials are now encouraging everyone to get an H1N1 flu vaccine. The eight states are among many that have lifted priority group restrictions, allowing all patients to be eligible to receive the shot while supplies last.

"Our customers depend on CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic for their health care needs, so we are pleased to be able to expand H1N1 vaccine availability to these additional states," said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark. "H1N1 flu is currently active in many communities across the country and it is likely that we will see increased flu activity, as is typically the case, in January and February."

Patients who are most at risk for contracting H1N1 and for complications resulting from the flu include pregnant women, individuals 6 months through 24 years of age, household contacts and caregivers for children younger than 6 months of age, health care and emergency medical services personnel, and persons aged 25 through 64 who have health conditions that are associated with higher risk of medical complications from influenza such as asthma and diabetes.

CVS Caremark continues to expand the availability of H1N1 vaccine in its stores and retail health clinics across the country. The vaccine is now available in 28 states and Washington, DC at either CVS/pharmacy or at MinuteClinic.

H1N1 vaccine is being offered at:

• Select CVS/pharmacy locations in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii (Longs Drugs stores), Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
• MinuteClinic locations in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Information on H1N1 vaccine supply at CVS/pharmacy can be found at www.cvs.com and at MinuteClinic at www.minuteclinic.com. Vaccine availability is updated daily. The cost of the H1N1 flu vaccination shot at CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic is a $15 administration fee, which may be covered by insurance.

About CVS/pharmacy

CVS/pharmacy is the retail division of CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS). The Company operates more than 7,000 CVS/pharmacy and Longs Drugs stores. CVS/pharmacy is committed to providing expert care and innovative solutions in pharmacy and health care that are effective and easy for our customers, both in its stores and online at CVS.com. General information about CVS/pharmacy and CVS Caremark is available at www.cvscaremark.com.

About MinuteClinic

Minneapolis-based MinuteClinic is a subsidiary of CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS), the No. 1 provider of prescriptions and related health care services in the nation. MinuteClinic launched the first retail health care centers in the United States in 2000 and is the first provider to establish a national presence with about 500 locations in 25 states and the District of Columbia. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to consumer demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. The company has generated more than 6 million patient visits, with a 95 percent customer satisfaction rating. A recognized leader in the patient-centric health care movement, MinuteClinic consistently brings innovation to the marketplace and sets new standards for clinical quality that exceed the national guidelines established for store-based clinics by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). MinuteClinic is the first retail health care provider to receive accreditation from The Joint Commission, the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. For more information, visit www.MinuteClinic.com .

    Media Contacts:

    Joanne Dwyer
    (401) 770-2898
    CVS/pharmacy
    jdwyer@cvs.com

    Brent Burkhardt
    (410) 986-1303
    TBC (for MinuteClinic)
    bburkhardt@tbc.us

SOURCE CVS Caremark

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