Walgreens joins CDC on Zika virus education in P.R.
The World Health Organization recently called Zika a public health emergency of international concern and is seeking to develop vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics to combat the disease. (Credit: Wikipedia)
In an effort to curb the spread of Zika virus disease in Puerto Rico, Walgreens is collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the CDC Foundation to educate the public on preventive steps to avoid Zika, the company announced Monday.
In addition, Walgreens is making a $100,000 donation to the CDC Foundation to aid its Zika virus education and prevention efforts. As part of the effort all of Walgreens 120 drugstores in Puerto Rico will dedicate space to providing information on CDC-recommended steps to prevent the spread of Zika virus, which is transmitted to people primarily through the bite of an infected mosquito.
The CDC, along with other health agencies, is investigating the association between Zika and microcephaly, a birth defect in which the baby’s head is smaller than expected and often has a smaller brain that may not have developed properly.
“As a pharmacy that champions everyone’s right to be happy and healthy, we are well positioned to address concerns about how anyone can protect themselves and their families from Zika, while also providing many CDC-recommended prevention products,” said Walgreens President of Pharmacy and Retail Operations Richard Ashworth.
To make Zika virus prevention products easily available and more affordable, Walgreens has lowered the price on CDC-recommended items in its Puerto Rico stores, including insect repellent with DEET, condoms and thermometers to monitor for fever.
