Local Drugstore Chain Completing Flu Vaccinations

Between five and 20 percent of U.S. residents are expected to contract influenza this winter, and a local drugstore chain has already surpassed its seasonal projections.

Klingensmith’s Drugstore President David Cippel said about 900 flu vaccinations have been distributed since September.

“The flu vaccine season is just about completed,” Cippel said. “We got our first shipment in mid-to-late September, and have been administering vaccinations in our stores (before) now starting to slow down.

“Through about two-and-a-half months, we’ve (administered) 900 doses through all of our stores – this year was the biggest year we’ve ever had. We anticipated this year that we were going to do about 800 shots of influenza, so we had to place a second order. Most patients who desire a flu vaccine are going to have the flu vaccine administered at the beginning of the season, or even before the flu season starts.”

Cippel – a licensed pharmacist who attended the University of Pittsburgh 28 years ago – explained that within two weeks of receiving the vaccination, residents currently immunized are protected from the disease for up to six months.

Residents who might already have the seven-day influenza virus or are sick with a different virus should not get immunized.

“The biggest risk in patients that already have influenza and get the (dead) virus is that it could progress to pneumonia – that’s a big risk, especially for the elderly,” Cippel said.

Cippel said twice as many pharmacists were hired due to demand for the vaccine at its locations – including in Kittanning, West Kittanning and Ford City.

“By having all of our stores have multiple (pharmacists) able to give the vaccine, access has improved,” Cippel explained. “They’re available, accessible, you don’t have to have an appointment – you just walk in.”

He estimated that approximately 95 percent of residents that received the vaccine did not have to pay out-of-pocket due to their preventive care health insurance.

The added pharmacists also can further immunize the other vaccinations the drug store administers.

For every vaccine administered in December (which is expected to total about 100), $5 will be donated to the Salvation Army. The drug stores were not able to accommodate an outdoor kettle this year.

But, Cippel was committed to donating $500 regardless of the final statistics. The drug store chain also adopted six children and bought gifts for them for Christmas.

During the latest FluView report by the Center for Disease Control, flu activity continued to increase in the United States. High levels of activity are being reported in the South and Midwest states and flu activity is expected to increase further in the coming weeks.

More than 1,700 influenza-associated hospitalizations nationwide have been reported.

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