Vaccines, physicals and balanced nutrition
plans help students succeed
CINCINNATI, July 30,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kroger Health, the healthcare
division of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), is encouraging families to
include vaccines, physicals and balanced nutrition plans in their
back-to-school checklists to support a healthy school year.
"Vaccines can protect against several infectious diseases,
reducing the risk of contracting serious illnesses such as measles,
which we saw a spike in cases nationwide earlier this year," said
Dr. Marc Watkins, chief medical
officer at Kroger Health. "Staying up to date on routine vaccines
lowers the likelihood of missing school due to illness and prevents
the spread of diseases within the school community. Additionally, a
physical exam allows a healthcare provider to assess overall
health, potentially detect any underlying conditions early and
address any health concerns before participation in extracurricular
activities."
Routine vaccines include:
Before starting kindergarten (ages four-six):
- Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap)
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
- Varicella (Chicken pox)
- Polio
- Flu (yearly)
- COVID (yearly)
Elementary and middle school:
- Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertusses (Tdap)
- Meningitis
- Flu (yearly)
- COVID (yearly)
- HPV
Junior high and high school:
- Meningitis
- Meningococcal conjugate (2nd dose
at age 16)
- Serogroup B Meningococcal (ages
16-18)
- HPV (only if not previously received)
- Flu (yearly)
- COVID (yearly)
Pharmacy and clinic practitioners are available to discuss which
vaccines are right for customers of all ages. The Little Clinic
also provides wellness screenings, annual physicals, routine tests
and other important preventive healthcare services for children and
adults. For a comprehensive list of vaccinations and services,
consult a healthcare provider at your local Kroger Co. Family of
Pharmacies or The Little Clinic®.
Healthy meals, especially breakfast and lunch, can play an
essential part in keeping students energized throughout the day in
the classroom, on the field or when engaging in other
extracurricular activities. Balanced nutrition not only contributes
to physical health, but to mental well-being, academic performance
and overall quality of life.
"Kroger Health is committed to making nutrition accessible and
personalized for all. Our registered dietitians, available for
virtual care in 44 states, are ready to assist parents and
caregivers in creating meal plans that provide nourishment for
their families. We aim to simplify the age-old question, 'What's
for dinner?' by offering tailored solutions," said Laura Brown, MS, RDN, LDN, director of
nutrition, Kroger Health. "Additionally, our OptUP™ tool, available
on the Kroger app and Kroger.com, empowers shoppers to discover
healthier foods, including after-school snack alternatives, that
are similar to their children's favorite treats. Together, we can
make every meal and snack an opportunity for better health."
To learn more about Kroger Health's vaccine, clinic or
dietitian services, please visit www.kroger.com/health.
About Kroger Health
Kroger Health, the healthcare
division of The Kroger Co., is one of America's leading retail
healthcare organizations, serving more than 17 million patients
annually. Kroger Family of Pharmacies operate more than 2,200
pharmacies across 35 states and The Little Clinic offers telehealth
services in nine states and operates more than 220 in-person
clinics in eight states. Our team of 24,000 healthcare
practitioners, including pharmacists, nurse practitioners,
physician assistants, registered dietitians and technicians believe
in practicing at the top of our licenses, enabling "food as
medicine" to help prevent disease before it starts, and helping
people live healthier lives. For more information,
visit www.kroger.com/health.
About Kroger
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR),
we are dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit™. We are,
across our family of companies nearly 420,000 associates who serve
over 11 million customers daily through a seamless digital shopping
experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner
names, serving America through food inspiration and uplift, and
creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities. To learn more about us,
visit our newsroom and investor
relations site.
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SOURCE The Kroger Co.
