Jewel-Osco® In-Store Pharmacies Offer Vaccinations for the Painful Skin Rash Shingles

Sept. 1, 2010 - PRLog -- Itasca, Ill., Aug. 11, 2010 — Every year, at least 1 million people in the United States develop the painful skin rash shingles, yet fewer than 10 percent of people who are most at risk of developing shingles — adults age 60 and older — have received the vaccine to prevent it.  As part of its commitment to provide customers with simple, convenient and affordable health and wellness solutions, JEWEL-OSCO, part of the nationwide SUPERVALU® family of grocery stores, is offering shingles vaccinations at all of its in-store pharmacies.

“Shingles can be a debilitating condition for many adults, with the risk increasing as they get older,” said Anthony Provenzano, SUPERVALU pharmacy director of clinical programs. “By getting the shingles vaccine from one of our specially trained and certified immunizing pharmacists, adults can reduce their chances of developing shingles or lessen the severity of pain and complications resulting from the illness.”

Adults age 60 and older at risk
JEWEL-OSCO is offering shingles vaccinations at a time when the need is great. Almost one in three people in America will develop shingles in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Older people are at greater risk of developing the condition, and about half of the cases occur in people age 60 and older. The CDC recommends a single, one-time dose of the shingles vaccine for adults 60 years of age or older, yet it’s estimated that fewer than 10 percent of adults eligible for the vaccine have received it, according to a report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

According to the National Shingles Foundation, the severe and sometimes long-term pain from shingles makes vaccination an important health concern.  

“We commend SUPERVALU for its nationwide initiative to help vaccinate adults over 60, to prevent shingles and the chronic pain from shingles,” said National Shingles Foundation Fellow Dr. Charles Grose. “Our research fellows have found that shingles, particularly at or near the eye, has a substantial and increased chance, perhaps as much as four times, to culminate in stroke, if not treated promptly and adequately with antiviral medication.
Because the possibility of developing severe, chronic shingles pain is increased, particularly for the frail elderly over 80, the preventive effect of the shingles vaccine can help make a difference.”                    

Convenient vaccinations at in-store pharmacies                                                                          
The cost of the vaccination will vary based on the individual’s insurance coverage. However, all Medicare Part D prescription drug plans cover the shingles vaccine administered in SUPERVALU’s in-store pharmacies. Patients may incur a co-pay that will vary by plan.  

JEWEL-OSCO’s specially trained and experienced pharmacists are prepared not only to administer the vaccine any day during business hours, but also to help customers with insurance questions, Provenzano added. “Our neighborhood pharmacies go beyond just filling prescriptions to offer a wide variety of personalized services, including adult immunizations, routine health screenings and diabetes education, designed to meet the needs of today’s busy lifestyles and economic challenges in one convenient location.”  
Consumers can call 1-800-783-0458 to find an immunizing pharmacy nearest them or to schedule an appointment to receive the vaccine. Patients can also contact their neighborhood JEWEL-OSCO. Physician referrals are welcomed by phone or fax.

JEWEL-OSCO pharmacies will provide a vaccination information statement (VIS) to the individual, and their primary care physician is notified in writing that they have received the shingles vaccine.

Shingles immunization: Helping to protect from pain
Shingles, which is also called herpes zoster, is a painful skin rash, often with blisters, that usually appears on one side of the face or body and lasts from two to four weeks. For about one person in five, the pain can continue long after the rash clears — lasting for months or even years. The only way to reduce the risk of developing shingles, and the long-term pain that can follow, is to get vaccinated.  

Shingles is caused by a reappearance of the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays in the body in a dormant state. For reasons not fully known, the virus can reactivate years later, causing shingles.  

A preventive vaccine for shingles, Zostavax®, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2006. In clinical trials, the vaccine reduced patients’ risk of getting shingles by 50 percent and lessened the pain in people who still developed the condition after being vaccinated.

JEWEL-OSCO: The pharmacy for you
The shingles vaccination is just one of many convenient pharmacy services available at JEWEL-OSCO stores, to help customers stay healthy year round. JEWEL-OSCO in-store pharmacies offer personalized health screenings, clinical health services, group education sessions that include learning how to choose the right foods to address particular health conditions and other types of adult immunizations for a fee.

JEWEL-OSCO pharmacies allow customers to make appointments that fit their busy schedules, providing an easy and convenient way for customers to address their health and wellness needs.

JEWEL-OSCO pharmacies have been providing adult immunizations since 2000 for many vaccine-preventable diseases, including influenza, pneumococcal disease, tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, cervical cancer, meningococcal meningitis, and now, shingles. JEWEL-OSCO has more than 500 specially trained and certified immunization pharmacists in its stores.  

Consumers are encouraged to talk to their pharmacist, doctor, nurse or other health care provider to determine which immunizations are right for them.

About JEWEL-OSCO
JEWEL-OSCO, a SUPERVALU company, operates 182 stores in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana. With a market-leading position in Chicago, JEWEL-OSCO stores offer consumers the convenience of combined grocery and pharmacy retail, in addition to services such as fuel centers at select locations. Originally established in 1899, the company and its associates remain committed to the communities they serve. For more information about JEWEL-OSCO, please visit www.jewelosco.com or www.oscopharmacy.com.

About SUPERVALU INC.
SUPERVALU INC. is one of the largest companies in the U.S. grocery channel with estimated annual sales of $38 billion. SUPERVALU serves customers across the United States through a network of approximately 4,270 stores composed of approximately 1,160 traditional retail stores, including 820 in-store pharmacies; 1,190 hard-discount stores, of which 870 are operated by licensee owners; and 1,920 independent stores serviced primarily by the company’s traditional food distribution business. SUPERVALU has approximately 154,000 employees. For more information about SUPERVALU visit www.supervalu.com.

About the National Shingles Foundation
The National Shingles Foundation, founded in 1991, is the world’s only nonprofit organization solely combating the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and VZV infections— including chickenpox, shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) — through research and education. For more information on how it fulfills its public charity mission to help accelerate the search to prevent, treat, cure and eradicate singles, shingles pain and chickenpox, visit www.nationalshinglesfoundation.org.

Media Contact:
Karen May
External Communications Manager   
630-948-6211   
karen.may@supervalu.com