The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the US Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, which allows a partnership between the federal government and pharmacies across the country to provide COVID-19 vaccines.
More than 6,500 pharmacies across the country will receive vaccines as of February 11 – but not all Florida stores will participate in the first distribution.
Publix
Publix will begin scheduling appointments on Wednesday, February 10, at 7 am on its online vaccination registration website.
Walmart and Sam’s Club
Walmart and Sam’s Club will start making appointments on Friday. Five Walmart locations will receive the vaccine in southwest Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis announced at a news conference on Tuesday.
These locations include:
- 4770 COLONIAL BLVD FORT
- 1005 W SUGARLAND HWY CLEWISTON
- 2725 SE HIGHWAY 70 ARCADIA
- 1951 W HICKPOCHEE AVE LABEL
- 9885 COLLIER BLVD NAPLES
COVID vaccines will be distributed to Walmart locations across Florida, said DeSantis. Currently, 119 stores in 34 municipalities will start offering the vaccine. Walmart will receive about 25 thousand doses.
According to Walmart, as soon as more doses of the vaccine are available and more people are eligible, stores will offer the vaccine 7 days a week at their pharmacies.
Pharmacies schedule appointments based on how many doses they receive.
Appointments will only be available online starting on Friday, February 12 at walmart.com/COVIDvaccine. Selected Sams Club locations will also offer the vaccine, you do not need to be a member to make an appointment.
In addition to the consultations, the programmer will provide a digital reminder when the time comes to return for the second dose of the vaccine so that it is fully effective, Thompson said.
CVS and Walgreens
CVS and Walgreens confirmed that Florida is no part of next week’s distribution.
CVS is receiving 250,000 doses to distribute between 11 states. The pharmacy chain will expand to other states and increase the number of stores offering vaccines as more supplies are available, the company said.
The states included in the CVS distribution are: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.
Walgreens will begin vaccinating eligible individuals on February 12 in 15 states, not including Florida.
The states / cities included are: Chicago, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, New York, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Winn Dixie and Fresco Y Mas
About 8,100 free Modern COVID-19 vaccines will begin to be administered at select locations in Winn-Dixie, Fresco y Más and Harveys Supermarket in Florida this week. The booking registration started on the Winn Dixie online portal shortly after 2pm on Tuesday.
Three Winn Dixie locations will receive a limited amount of the vaccine, including:
- 720 Available 4100 Mccall Road Englewood Pharmacy
- 721 Available at La Belle Pharmacy, 960 South Main Street
- 729 Available 625 North Collier Blvd Marco Island Pharmacy
Those who are eligible will begin receiving vaccines on February 11 through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program.
CLICK HERE to make an appointment at Winn Dixie. No day or time has been made public when the registration will open, but officials said before Thursday.
Fresco y Más and Harveys Supermarkets will post information on their websites on details of vaccine availability, participating store locations and scheduling appointments online, when available.
Costco
Costco declined to comment on whether Florida locations will offer the vaccine.
Who is eligible?
The federal government said pharmacies that receive the vaccine still need to follow state guidelines.
For Florida, this means that only those 65 and older and frontline healthcare professionals are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
As for the cost, the CDC reported that the vaccine is free for everyone.
For more information about the Federal Retail Pharmacy Partnership Program for Vaccination COVID-19, click here.