Walgreens Pushes Flu Shots at Herald Square
Walgreens held a flu-vaccination activation in Manhattan as flu antiviral prescriptions quadrupled year over year.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Advertising
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Walgreens staged a 'Don't Get Benched by the Flu' activation at Herald Square from 2:30 to 8:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 2, offering photo opportunities, basketball shooting, giveaways, and flu shot booking. The company reported it dispensed four times more flu antiviral prescriptions for the week ending Oct. 24 than in the same period last year.
Why it matters
Early data from the 2026-2027 Walgreens Flu Index suggests flu cases are rising sooner than in recent years, and current activity in New York is low but climbing week over week. Walgreens is urging residents to vaccinate now, since protection takes about two weeks to develop.
Walgreens reported four times more flu antiviral prescriptions dispensed for the week ending Oct. 24 than in the same period last year, based on its own pharmacy data. The company's Flu Index shows New York activity is still low but increasing, and it has not said how far the rise will go.
The players
Walgreens
Walgreens is a national pharmacy chain that operates retail locations across the United States and offers flu vaccinations, both walk-in and scheduled.
Jordyn Woods
Jordyn Woods is a media personality and entrepreneur who partnered with Walgreens on this flu vaccination campaign.
The details
The activation ran from 2:30 to 8:30 p.m. ET at Herald Square and featured a larger-than-life bench, photo opportunities, basketball shooting, giveaways, and on-site flu shot booking. Walgreens partnered with Jordyn Woods for the campaign and offers standard-dose, higher-dose, and a new mRNA flu vaccine at select locations.
Timeline
The 2025-2026 season saw New York record its highest number of weekly flu cases ever in a single week.
The week ending Oct. 24, 2026 showed Walgreens dispensing four times more flu antiviral prescriptions than the prior year.
Monday, Nov. 2, 2026: Walgreens held its Herald Square flu activation from 2:30 to 8:30 p.m. ET.
Season Trajectory
New York set a record for weekly flu cases during the 2025-2026 season, and Walgreens' early 2026-2027 data suggests this season may build faster than recent ones. The rise in antiviral prescriptions points to an earlier and steeper curve than the state has seen in prior years.
New Yorkers can walk into a local Walgreens, book up to four patients in advance online or via the app, text 'Flu' to 66879, or call 1-800-WALGREENS to get vaccinated. Because protection takes about two weeks to develop, booking now gives antibodies time to build before activity peaks.
The takeaway
Flu vaccination takes about two weeks to become protective, so scheduling a shot before cases climb gives the most lead time. Walgreens offers walk-in and scheduled options at many locations.
What happens next
Flu activity is expected to increase further as winter months approach, and Walgreens says it expects the virus to spread widely in New York this year.
Further reading
For more on how brands run campaigns like this, see Advertising coverage on Wisevoter.
More information
You can schedule a flu shot through the Walgreens flu shot scheduling page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Drug Store News.
Live Poll
Have you gotten or scheduled your flu shot yet this season?
