Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. plans to offer flu vaccinations on a walk-in basis and through vaccine clinics at all of its in-store pharmacies beginning Sept. 1.

Customers using their Winn-Dixie Customer Reward Card will receive a $5 discount off the $28 flu vaccine ($23 with the Customer Reward Card).

Winn-Dixie’s pharmacies also are offering a new, high dosage flu vaccine for those 65 and older for $43 with the Customer Reward Card ($48 for non-cardholders) this year. Both the regular and high dose flu vaccines provide protection against the H1N1 virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the most important step in protecting against the flu is to get vaccinated. The CDC recommends all people over the age of six months of age should be vaccinated each year.

“Winn-Dixie strives to provide healthy and easy choices for our customers,” said Robin Miller, Winn-Dixie’s director of communications. “Besides the convenience of in-store vaccinations, offering these vaccines at competitive rates will save our customers and their health insurers more than $2 million.”

Flu vaccines will be administered by certified pharmacists, and customers won’t need an appointment to get the service.

Winn-Dixie also is providing an offsite clinic service for local businesses to increase vaccination rates this year.