The effort to immunize more Americans against coronavirus now includes the main retail pharmacy chains.
National drugstore chains CVS Health and Walgreens are among more than 20 major retailers receiving COVID-19 vaccines from the federal government this week. But getting an injection is not as easy as going through the pharmacy door. In fact, consumers are being discouraged from going to stores, but instead, get in line by making an appointment online or over the phone.
The federal program will be implemented in stages, based on available vaccine supplies, with shipments arriving as early as Thursday, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“The federal government is providing 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for the launch of the program,” said a CDC spokesman in an email to CBS MoneyWatch. “We cannot confirm how many doses will be provided weekly to pharmacy partners during the weeks ahead, but weekly allocations are likely to increase as the vaccine supply increases.”
In all, the federal government is partnering with 21 national pharmacy chains and independent chains to increase access to COVID-19 vaccines in the United States, according to the agency. Participating pharmacies vary by state, with the CDC offering state-to-state accounting of which retailers will receive vaccine doses this week.
In Alabama, for example, Walmart pharmacies will receive federal shipments of the vaccine, while in California, CVS and Rite Aid are expected to receive doses. Vaccine shipments are going to local Hy-Vee and CPESN USA in Iowa, and to Albertsons, Costco and Health Mart in Washington State. Search for your status here.
Walgreens and CVS Health
Walgreens plans to give a limited count of COVID-19 vaccinations in 15 states and jurisdictions as part of the federal program starting Friday, with healthcare professionals, people aged 65 and over and people with pre-existing illnesses among potential depending on state guidelines. Consumers can use Walgreens’ appointment scheduler, although the system experienced a temporary outage on Tuesday.
The CDC will send a limited number of doses to Walgreens in Chicago and other parts of Illinois, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York and New York, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia. The company is also administering the vaccine with local batches in parts of Arkansas, California, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas, he said.
Initially scheduled to start on Thursday, CVS anticipated the start of its pharmacy vaccination effort to Friday in a limited number of locations in 11 states, with the company’s scheduling system scheduled to open on CVS.com or in the CVS Pharmacy app on Thursday. Those who do not have online access can call (800) 746-4287.
“Because active stores will change regularly based on the supply of the vaccine, CVS Health will not provide a complete list of participating locations,” it said in an update on Monday.
The initial launch of CVS will involve approximately 250,000 total doses to be administered to eligible persons in California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Separately, CVS is using state vaccine allocations to offer in-store vaccines to eligible populations in Indiana and Ohio.
“As more supplies become available, the company will expand to other states, while increasing the number of stores offering vaccines,” said the chain, which operates about 10,000 pharmacies across the country.
Walmart, Sam’s Club and Rite Aid
More than 1,000 pharmacies at Walmart and Sam’s Club in 22 states are receiving federal vaccines this week, with injections scheduled to start on Friday. This includes Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
The retail giant is also giving vaccines using state allocation in 11 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. (You can see if a Walmart pharmacy near you is administering the COVID-19 vaccine here and confirm eligibility and schedule an appointment here.)
“Ninety percent of the country lives less than 10 miles from a Walmart. We are at the center of many rural and underserved communities and are committed to providing access to vaccines as groups qualify,” Dr. Cheryl Pegus, vice president Walmart executive chairwoman, Health and Wellness, said Tuesday in a press release.
Rite Aid is receiving federal doses at some of its pharmacies in five states and two municipal jurisdictions: California, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and its largest city, Philadelphia and New York, a spokesman said by email. CBS MoneyWatch. “These allocations will complement existing and ongoing state and local allocations,” he added.
The Rite Aid chain, which operates 2,450 stores in 18 states, has limited information about the vaccination record here.
Publix, Costco and Kroger
Publix on Tuesday said it was opening consultations on Wednesday to administer the Modern COVID-19 vaccine to eligible individuals at 593 Publix pharmacies in 41 Florida counties, using doses provided by the state and federal government. Publix pharmacies also gave the vaccine to people in Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia. The company’s online booking system can be found here.
Costco is offering a limited number of COVID-19 vaccines, usually Modern, in some locations in New York City, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington, the warehouse club said Friday in an update on its website.
Kroger pharmacies have a limited supply of the vaccine and are now offering it in some locations in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Washington , West Virginia and Wisconsin, according to a Monday night update. Consumers can check availability for scheduling here.
Kroger – the country’s largest supermarket chain – said in December that its health unit will offer the vaccine in 2,200 pharmacies and 220 clinics in 35 states.
Albertsons, Hy-Vee and Meijer
Albertsons Companies, which operates more than 1,700 pharmacies in its supermarkets in 34 states, is also receiving direct federal vaccine funding. Consumers can check availability on the various individual banners of the food and drug retailer: ACME, Albertsons, Carrs, Haggen, Jewel-Osco, Pavilion, Randalls, Safeway, Shaw’s, Star Market, Tom Thumb, United Supermarkets and Vons.
At Lucky Pharmacy, owned by Albertsons in Salt Lake City, Utah, the COVID-19 vaccine is advertised as “coming soon”.
Hy-Vee runs 275 stores in eight midwestern states and is offering federal doses of the vaccine at some of its pharmacies in Iowa and South Dakota. Appointments can be made here.
Meijer plans to administer up to 25,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine starting the week of February 8 at clinics at its Michigan stores. State residents aged 65 and over can pre-register on the company’s website. The retailer operates 256 super centers and supermarkets in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Michigan.
HEB, Ahold Delhaize and Southeastern Grocers
HEB, which manages more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico, is offering the vaccine in some pharmacies in Texas. Check the availability of new appointments here.
Ahold Delhaize companies are also offering the vaccine. This includes Stop & Shop, which runs 250 pharmacies in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. Hannaford is now scheduling appointments in two of the five states in which it operates, New York and Massachusetts, and its Giant Food brand is offering scheduling links to customers in Washington, DC, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Visit https://giantfood.com/pages/covid-info for details.
Southeastern Grocers will give 8,100 Modern COVID-19 vaccines free from February 11 to qualified customers in select Winn-Dixie, Fresco y Más and Harveys supermarkets across Florida.
Acme Fresh Market, Big Y and Wegmans
Some of Topco Associates’ various brands are also receiving federal vaccine shipments. Acme Fresh Market is offering vaccination appointments at its pharmacies in Ohio, although on Thursday afternoon they were full. Check for updates here.
Big Y is offering the vaccine at pharmacies in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Wegmans is offering injections at some pharmacies in Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania.
Giant eagle, Food City and Price Chopper
Topco’s Giant Eagle is in line to offer the vaccine at pharmacies in Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, while Brookshire Grocery has started an online waiting list in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. Food City is ready to offer the vaccine, but currently only has it at pharmacies in Virginia. Price Chopper / Market 32 is offering the vaccine at some pharmacies in Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania – click here to see if you are eligible.
Health Mart – a chain of 5,000 independent pharmacies in the United States – is also in line for federal vaccine shipments. Pennsylvania’s Beaver Health Mart paused its online registration, saying it would resume requests as soon as its stock was replenished. Missouri residents can try to register on the Parkland Health Mart Pharmacy website here.
Health Mart, CPESN USA and Good Neighbor
Wayne Drug, a Health Mart pharmacy in Oswego, New York, used social media to keep customers informed.
The Community Pharmacy Enhanced Service Network, or CPESN USA, is participating in the federal program and offering vaccines in locations in Florida and Iowa.
AmerisourceBergen said last week that it was placing orders with the CDC on behalf of the Good Neighbor Pharmacy and the Elevate Provider Network – a cooperative of 4,500 independent pharmacies – in Kentucky, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas and Guam.
In San Joaquin County, California, Save Mart Company’s Lucky Pharmacy is offering consultations here.