Walgreens offers consumers advice in case of evacuations

DEERFIELD, Ill. Walgreens on Monday published a short list of suggestions for anyone in Florida, or the rest of the area affected by potential hurricanes, such as Tropical Storm Fay, which had been threatening to turn into a hurricane.

While the advice was simple, it may make a big difference for prescription medication takers who have to be evacuated:

1. Fill the medication only after arriving at a safe location.
2. Carry the medication in a waterproof bag.
3. Keep a written record of all prescriptions in an “important papers” file.

Walgreens emphasized in step 2 that all prescription bottles should be taken, even if empty. The information on the bottle label will help any pharmacist refill the medicine. Heat, humidity and sunlight can degrade the effectiveness of medicine, so Walgreens reminded consumers to protect it from extreme weather conditions.

The company also reminded consumers that Walgreens’ patients could register online at Walgreens.com and print out prescription information directly from their patient profile. Walgreens operates 6,356 drugstores in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.