Sam's Club Offers New Immunizations to Communities Nationwide

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Sept. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sam's Club announced today it is joining Walmart to offer 10 vital immunizations this cold and flu season at all Sam's Club locations with a pharmacy. The 552 Sam's Club pharmacy locations provide the largest warehouse network offering of vaccines in the U.S. In partnership with Mollen Immunization Clinics, Sam's Club is offering an expanded menu of immunizations from registered nurses through November 15, including shingles, chickenpox and whooping cough. All Sam's Club pharmacy locations are open to the public.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many adults have not received one or more of their recommended vaccines. A new survey from Sam's Club reveals that more than two thirds of Americans are unaware of the availability of CDC-recommended vaccines other than the flu shot. This lack of awareness is evidenced in the vaccinations that Americans report they have personally received. While a majority has received a flu shot (62 percent) or Tdap (59 percent), the vast majority of Americans do not report receiving any of the other CDC-recommended vaccines in their lifetimes.

"Under-vaccinated communities can face a greater risk of local outbreaks of disease, and the CDC's recommended vaccine schedule for adults is a great reference to ensure that our communities stay healthy," said Jill Turner-Mitchael, senior vice president of Sam's Club health and wellness. "By offering the CDC's recommended vaccines this year, Sam's Club pharmacies continue to help our communities live healthy at a remarkable value."

In addition to new immunizations, Sam's Club will continue to offer flu and pneumonia vaccines in all 552 U.S. pharmacy locations, which are open to Members and the public. The flu vaccine at Sam's Club will be available to anyone 3 years and older based on CDC and U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines. Anyone can go online to schedule in advance at SamsClub.com/flushots or walk into the pharmacy when shopping for other items.

Specific immunization offerings include:

• Flu (influenza) – offered at all locations with a pharmacy
• Pneumonia (pneumococcal) – offered at all locations with a pharmacy
• Chickenpox (varicella) – new for 2012
• Shingles (herpes zoster) – new for 2012
• Tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough (pertussis) (Tdap)
• HPV (human papillomavirus)
• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
• Meningitis (meningococcal)
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B

Licensed professional Sam's Club pharmacists are always available to support their communities with preventative health and wellness solutions, free monthly health and wellness screenings, one-on-one smoking cessation counseling and low prices on the medications patients need. Information about all of Sam's Club's health and wellness offerings can also be found in its exclusive bi-monthly wellness magazine, Healthy Living Made Simple, which reaches approximately 8 million members.

For more information about immunizations available to Sam's Club members and the public, please visit SamsClub.com/FluShots.

About Sam's Club

Sam's Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is the nation's eighth largest retailer and a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products and services to more than 47 million members in clubs across the U.S., as well as in Brazil, China and Mexico. Members save an average of 34 percent over traditional retailers. To learn more about Savings Made Simple, visit SamsClub.com, and look for Sam's Club on Twitter, Facebook and our mobile and iPad apps.

About Mollen Immunization Clinics

Mollen enables its customers to deliver and access healthcare services in the most convenient and cost-effective ways possible. Mollen is the largest independent mass immunizer in the country. In 2011, Mollen employed more than 30,000 nurses and conducted more than 165,000 immunization and health screening clinics nationwide. Learn more at www.FluShotsUSA.com.

About the Survey

On behalf of Sam's Club, Toluna PLC conducted the survey in the U.S. online during August 2012. The survey was conducted among a nationally representative sample of 1,023 U.S. adults age 18 and older. This survey was made possible through funding provided by Sam's Club.

Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample. Margins of error for specific subgroups are higher.

SOURCE Sam's Club