Hy-Vee Offering Children Vaccines And Flu Shots

On Wednesday, Hy-Vee announced Wednesday that it is now offering childhood vaccinations at its pharmacy locations across the company.

In a press release on Wednesday, Hy-Vee announced that they will be offering childhood vaccinations at its over 270 pharmacy locations. In the press release, officials say that immunizations are typically given at well-child visits by a physician. Those childhood vaccinations can now be give by a Hy-Vee pharmacist without a prescription or an appointment.

Most insurance plans and Medicaid cover immunizations shots at no charge.

Hy-Vee officials say the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently issued a protocol change so there is more access to lifesaving childhood vaccines. HHS is allowing state-licensed pharmacists to administer FDA-approved vaccines to children age three to 18 years. This is to help avoid vaccine-preventable diseases from spreading as children that are returning to daycare and/or school.

Aaron Wiese, senior vice president and chief health officer at Hy-Vee said in the press release,

“While many families have stayed at home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, these critical milestone immunizations may have been missed. Health and wellness are central to our mission, and we’re proud to partner with parents to help keep children and communities healthy by offering a convenient way to ensure kids’ vaccinations are up to date.”

Customers wanting vaccinatinos or flu shots can now submit their Vaccine Consent Form and book an appointment in advance online at https://www.hy-vee.com/my-pharmacy for themselves or anyone in their family.

Hy-Vee continues to follow CDC guidelines for safety and precautions. Hy-Vee stores and pharmacies continue to maintain enhanced cleaning regimens, social distancing protocols and Plexiglas shields at registers and customer service counters.

Hy-Vee has listed key measures they have implemented to make sure there is a safe administration of immunizations for patients and pharmacy team members. Those key measurements include:

• All Hy-Vee pharmacy team members are required to wear face masks at all times, including while administering immunizations.
• Any patient with COVID-19-like symptoms or who has had prolonged exposure to a positive case should wait the appropriate amount of time prior to receiving their vaccine for the health and safety of our patients and team members.
• Patients receiving a vaccination will need to wear a face covering.

Hy-Vee officials say that the CDC has found a drop in childhood immunizations in a report issued back in May 2020. Due to the decrease in childhood vaccination rates, which has become a public health threat, HHS has expanded access to childhood vaccines to avoid preventable diseases in children which could cause additional strains on the healthcare system.