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 United States 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 Hy-Vee and CPESN USA locations 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 vaccines 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 on vaccination registration 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 scheduling availability 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.