U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius will receive her seasonal flu vaccine and will talk about the importance of prevention measures and flu season preparedness this morning at a Walgreens (NYSE:WAG) (NASDAQ:WAG) "health and daily living" pilot store in Chicago. The Secretary also will tour the store with Walgreens President and CEO Greg Wasson, who will highlight the store's ability to offer accessible, preventive health services such as flu vaccinations and diabetes care in underserved communities.

"It's very exciting to see stores like these built on the principle that good health starts with steps we can all take to avoid getting sick in the first place," said Sebelius. "A perfect example of preventive care is getting your annual flu shot to protect yourself and your loved ones. So we're working closely with pharmacies like Walgreens to make the vaccine widely available in communities across the country."

"We appreciate Secretary Sebelius recognizing the important role of community pharmacists in health care," said Wasson. "With this pilot store, we are advancing the profession of pharmacy by providing greater accessibility to pharmacists for medication counseling, answering questions and providing additional clinical services."

Pharmacists are on the front lines of health care and among the most trusted professionals as ranked by Gallup's honesty and ethics survey. Especially in medically underserved communities, pharmacies provide critical access to health care services that often go beyond dispensing medication. Walgreens new pilot pharmacy addresses the desire of customers for better products, tools and guidance as they aspire to make healthier choices in their daily lives. The pilot pharmacy also addresses the national focus on prevention and management of chronic diseases, which has highlighted the need for a model of care that is convenient, coordinated and affordable.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2011 sales of $72 billion. The company operates 7,779 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.

Walgreens
Tiffani Washington, 847-315-2925
http://news.walgreens.com