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Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies across the country will begin administering COVID-19 vaccines on Friday as part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.
| Ticker | Safety | Last | change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMT | WALMART INC. | 144.47 | -1.37 | -0.94% |
More than 1,000 pharmacies in 22 states will receive doses of the vaccine this week, although there is “a particular emphasis on locations that reach customers in underserved communities with limited access to healthcare,” said Walmart on Wednesday.
The Arkansas-based retailer took population density, customer demographics, infection rates and availability of local health resources into account when identifying participating locations.
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The company had previously announced that it would be able to deliver up to 13 million doses of coronavirus vaccines per month “when supplies and distributions permit”.
Last November, federal health officials reached an agreement with pharmacies across the United States, including major stores like Costco and Walmart, to distribute free vaccines after they become widely available to the public.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. location in the Chinatown neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on September 19, 2013. (Patrick T. Fallon / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The agreement, which follows a collaboration with CVS and Walgreens to deliver vaccines to nursing homes, is part of an ongoing effort to make obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine like getting a flu vaccine.
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“Ninety percent of the country lives less than 10 miles from a Walmart,” said Dr. Cheryl Pegus, Walmart’s executive vice president of health and well-being. “We are at the center of many rural and underserved communities and we have the commitment to providing access to vaccines as groups become eligible. “
The retailer said it is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the nearly two dozen states “to act as quickly as possible to help administer vaccines to eligible populations.”
WALMART IS EXPECTING TO DELIVER UP TO 13M DOSES PER MONTH
Although the company is working to increase the accessibility and availability of vaccines to the federal and state governments, supply and eligibility still “vary based on allocation, as well as state and local guidelines,” said Walmart.
Health professionals and nursing home residents were first in line to receive the vaccine from Pfizer or Moderna. Next in line are essential workers, such as grocery store clerks and others who perform vital jobs that cannot be done at home.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.