LAKELAND, Florida – (BUSINESS WIRE) – Under the guidance of the federal government, retailers participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program should prioritize the following individuals for vaccine appointments until further notice:
-
teachers, school staff and caregivers of children working in pre-primary, primary and secondary schools, as well as Head Start and Early Head Start programs (including teachers, staff and bus drivers) and
-
those who work as or for licensed child care providers, including family and center-based care providers.
Publix will follow this new guideline during its next opportunity to schedule the COVID-19 vaccine in South Carolina, Tuesday, March 9. Some pharmacy locations included in previous distributions are not included at this time; however, they may receive doses of vaccine in the future.
After those in the prioritized group have finished making appointments, all remaining appointments will be available to other eligible individuals.
Eligibility
According to state and federal requirements, the following groups are currently eligible to receive vaccines: all teachers and staff in elementary and high school and day care centers (the priority group mentioned above); caregivers of clinically fragile children with a certificate signed by a health care provider to confirm that a caregiver meets the criteria; frontline workers with increased occupational risk; health workers and community health workers with direct and routine contact with the patient; individuals aged 55 or over; individuals most at risk in environments where people live and work in close contact; individuals at increased risk of serious COVID-19 disease; residents and employees of long-term care facilities; and South Carolina state / local government employees and contractors who are essential to administering the vaccines and COVID-19 tests.
Commitments
Vaccines are provided to any individual who meets state and federal requirements, with priority given to teachers and school and daycare staff, as directed by the federal government, only by appointment, while supplies last, through the online reservation system at publix.com/covidvaccine. The system will open on Tuesday, March 9, at 7 am Eastern Time, for appointments from Thursday, March 11, to Wednesday, March 17, except Saturday and Sunday. Appointments cannot be made over the phone.
Locations
Publix pharmacies will administer the vaccine in the following counties while supplies last: Aiken, Anderson, Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester, Georgetown, Greenville, Greenwood, Horry, Jasper, Lancaster, Lexington, Pickens, Richland, Spartanburg and York. See the full list of South Carolina pharmacies that offer consultations for the COVID-19 vaccine. Customers can also use the online booking system to find out if appointments are available at their nearby store.
Publix pharmacies have also administered the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible individuals in selected locations in Florida, Georgia and Virginia. The company continues to communicate with states in its area of operation to provide COVID-19 vaccines as part of its distribution efforts.
Costs and insurance
Vaccines are administered to eligible individuals, only by appointment, while supplies last, and at no cost to the individual. Health insurance customers will need to bring their insurance card to the scheduled appointment. Medicare members must bring their red, white and blue Medicare Part B card. Customers without health insurance will need to provide their driver’s license or Social Security number.
The most up-to-date information on Publix’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts can be found at publix.com/covidvaccine.
Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the United States, with more than 225,000 associates, currently operates 1,267 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. For 23 consecutive years, the company has been recognized for Fortune as a great place to work. In addition, Publix’s dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized among the best in the food industry. For more information, visit the company’s website, corporate.publix.com.