RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Oct. 31, 2016) - Customers who receive their 2016/2017 influenza vaccination at London Drugs will now play an active role in helping to protect tens of thousands of the world's most vulnerable children from vaccine-preventable diseases. Through a new partnership with I Boost Immunity (IBI), a Canadian-based online immunization advocacy network, for every flu shot administered at London Drugs this year, a lifesaving vaccine will be donated to UNICEF Canada to immunize children in a developing country.

"By getting the flu shot you already help protect the most vulnerable people in your own community from potentially life-threatening illness including the very young, the elderly and the immunocompromised," says John Tse, vice president, pharmacy at London Drugs. "This partnership with IBI in support of UNICEF Canada allows our customers to make a global impact, providing life-saving vaccinations to children worldwide while taking care of their own health needs."

According to UNICEF, 19.4 million children missed out on basic vaccines needed to stay healthy last year. Almost one third of deaths among children under five are preventable by vaccines.

Tse says that the potential to save a child's life with the simple act of getting the flu shot is added motivation to get vaccinated. "Our customers have the opportunity to be global change makers simply by protecting themselves and their families against the flu this year," he says.

For each flu vaccination administered at any of London Drugs 78 pharmacy locations, I Boost Immunity will provide a tetanus, polio or measles vaccine to UNICEF Canada to vaccinate marginalized children at risk of deadly illnesses.

"Partnering with London Drugs is one of the many ways we hope to increase awareness about the importance of getting vaccinated and to improve immunization rates both here in Canada and across the globe," says Michael Barnes, Executive Director of the Public Health Association of BC. "Diseases cross local and national boundaries. That means that vaccinating anyone, anywhere in the world, benefits all of us."

I Boost Immunity is managed by the Public Health Association of BC and partnered with ImmunizeBC - a collaboration of the BC Centre for Disease Control, BC Pharmacy Association and regional health authorities - which aims to promote immunization as the best protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.

To learn more about getting the flu shot at London Drugs or about booking an appointment, visit: http://www.londondrugs.com/flu.

ABOUT LONDON DRUGS

Founded in 1945, B.C.-based London Drugs has 79 stores in more than 35 major markets throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba including its online store www.londondrugs.com. London Drugs offers consumers a range of products from digital cameras and cosmetics to computers and televisions. Renowned for its creative approach to retailing, the company employs more than 7,500 people with pharmacy and health care services being the heart of its business. Committed to innovation and superior customer service, London Drugs has established itself as a reputable and caring company and continues to position itself for future growth and development. For more information, visit www.LondonDrugs.com.

ABOUT I BOOST IMMUNITY

I Boost Immunity (IBI) is an online learning and sharing platform for vaccination based in Canada. As the first of its kind anywhere in the world, IBI is built on the premise that rewarding individual knowledge with a practical outcome can save lives. The website uses quizzes, articles and stories to raise local literacy around immunization in a fun and engaging way, and pairs it with a global reward: vaccines for kids through UNICEF. For each quiz question you get right, IBI will donate one vaccine to immunize a child in support of UNICEF Canada.

I Boost Immunity is funded by the British Columbia Ministry of Health, managed by the Public Health Association of BC (PHABC) and is partnered with ImmunizeBC - a collaboration from across the health sector in BC including the BC Centre for Disease Control, BC Pharmacy Association & regional health authorities.