CVS will start giving flu shots on Tuesday

NEW YORK—CVS Caremark says it’s making flu shots available starting tomorrow, which is three or four weeks earlier than usual.

The Woonsocket-based company says the vaccine will be available throughout the fall at all 500 of its walk-in MinuteClinics, and at scheduled events in many of its 6,900 drugstores. The vaccine is intended to prevent the seasonal flu and is separate from vaccines for swine flu.

CVS says a swine flu vaccine could be ready by mid-October.

CVS will also give away 100,000 free seasonal flu shots to unemployed people.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the vaccine for children, the elderly, caregivers, pregnant women, and people with weak immune systems or many other chronic health problems.