LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Now that summer is over, it's time to start preparing for cooler weather and the potential flu season by getting vaccinated against the influenza virus at your neighborhood Ralphs and Food 4 Less Pharmacies.

Ralphs and Food 4 Less Pharmacies have been vaccinating patients this season since the end of August and will continue to offer a convenient and easy way to get protected from this flu season at 95 locations throughout Southern California.

Public health officials are encouraging Americans to receive their influenza immunizations every year. The flu is a very contagious illness that strikes millions of Americans, resulting in over 40 million workdays lost and 30 million physician visits annually. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), everyone should get a flu shot as soon as the vaccine becomes available and if possible, before November. The flu season typically peaks from late November through March in the United States. Therefore, the best time to get a flu shot is now.

Many health experts recommend yearly flu shots for everyone 50 years of age or older, anyone who has a serious long-term health problem, anyone whose immune system is weakened, pregnant women, children and adolescents from 6 months up to their 19th birthday. The CDC also recommends annual flu shots for all health care professionals, students and staff at schools to prevent outbreaks, and virtually anyone who wants to reduce their chance of catching the flu or passing it to others.

The flu shots will be administered by licensed and specially trained pharmacists on an ongoing basis throughout flu season or while supplies last. For scheduling information, customers interested in obtaining the flu shots for $25 can simply contact their neighborhood Ralphs or Food 4 Less Pharmacy, located in select Ralphs supermarkets and Food 4 Less stores in Southern California. Customers can also visit our website at http://www.ralphs.com or http://www.food4less1.com and click on Pharmacy/Health.

Ralphs and Food 4 Less Pharmacies offer customers the convenience of having their prescriptions filled while they shop for groceries. Among the many services offered are adult and adolescent immunizations for hepatitis A and B, tetanus, meningitis, shingles, cervical cancer, pneumonia and flu; customized medication reviews; memory screenings; smoking cessation; and cholesterol screenings. Free blood pressure readings are also available. Most pharmacies are open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekends. (Check your local store for hours.)

Ralphs and Food 4 Less are divisions of The Kroger Co., (NYSE: KR), one of the nation's largest food retailers, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ralphs and Food 4 Less currently operate 408 supermarkets in California, Nevada, Illinois and Indiana under the Ralphs, Food 4 Less and Foods Co banner, from its headquarters in Los Angeles. For more information, please visit our web sites at http://www.ralphs.com or http://www.food4less.net.

SOURCE Ralphs