Big Y's Big Vax Week
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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — From Sept. 26 until Oct. 2, every Big Y World Class Market location will hold an on-site multi vaccine clinic for all customers, employees and their families.
All stores will offer seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines and stores with an on-site pharmacy also offer a variety of vaccines including seasonal flu, pneumonia, shingles, COVIOD Tdap, Hepatitis A and B, meningococcal, MMR and HPV.
Further details are available on bigy.com where each location's specific times are listed. No appointments are necessary.
This first-ever community wide event spans every one of Big Y's 71 locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. All locations, including those that have a pharmacy, will have a specific clinic day during Big Vax Week where patients who receive a vaccine from their trained pharmacists will receive a Big Y Coupon for $5 off of $25 as well as other giveaways.
Over the past 5 years, Big Y administered 152,000 doses of various vaccines.
CDC guidance states that it is acceptable to receive 2 or more of these different vaccines at the same time making it more convenient for all. When approved, Big Y will administer COVID booster shots at all Big Y pharmacy locations regardless of where someone received their original COVID vaccine whether from Big Y or another pharmacy, retailer or clinic. Big Y follows state and federal approved age limits for all vaccines.
Big Y's pharmacy team has been administering vaccines for many years. They've held clinics at schools, senior centers, manufacturing facilities, business offices, and worked with many city and State Departments of Public Health. Recently in Massachusetts, they have been chosen to be the vaccination providers for schools in Springfield, schools and clinics for the town of East Longmeadow, as well as Wilbraham and Hampden.
Currently, there are more vaccine clinics scheduled in the near future.
"The safety and health of everyone in our region is so vitally important to us that we are excited to offer our first-ever Big Y Big Vax Week to everyone: our customers, employees and their families. Our professional pharmacy staff has been
working hard to be able to provide this essential service in each of our neighborhoods at every one of our 71 locations throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut," said Big Y's president and CEO, Charles L. D'Amour. "This week-long event provides a convenient way for anyone to receive one of many vaccines to keep our community healthy. Big Y's Big Vax Week is one more way we've been serving our community for over 85 years."
Another element of Big Y's vaccination program provides clinical experience for health care students at local colleges such as Elms College School of Nursing, Western New England University College of Pharmacy, and Gateway's and Porter and Chester Institute's Nursing Programs. Since last January, Big Y's pharmacists along with these teams have administered close to 50,000 COVID vaccines alone.
Pharmacist Amanda Pelland, from Big Y in Northampton said she was excited about the upcoming Big Vax Week.
"Vaccinations are vital in keeping our community healthy during this unprecedented time. Offering them at all of our Big Y locations, makes it convenient for shoppers to get their groceries and vaccinations in one trip. Our customers express their appreciation for our service numerous times for all vaccines including COVID," she said. "They appreciate our organized vaccine triage and our personal and professional staff."
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