Rugged launch from the US a coronavirus vaccines get a 1 million dose hit in the arm as pharmacies across the country join the effort.
This week, the federal government began sending COVID-19 vaccine deliveries to 21 national pharmacy chains and to independent pharmacies to speed up distribution. The program will be implemented in stages, based on available vaccine reserves, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pharmacies and retailers are also working with states to help speed up the immunization effort.
The national pharmacy chains CVS Health and Walgreens are among those receiving supplies of COVID-19 vaccines from the federal government. But getting a picture is not as easy as walking to the pharmacy door. Instead, consumers are discouraged from going to stores, but rather to line up by making an appointment online or by phone.
“The federal government is providing 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to launch the program,” a CDC spokesman said in an email to CBS MoneyWatch. We are unable to confirm how many doses will be provided weekly to pharmacy partners over the coming weeks, but it is anticipated that weekly allocations will eventually increase as vaccine supply increases.
Hillcrest Pharmacy in Vernon, Texas
In conclusion, the federal government is working with 21 national pharmacy chains and independent networks to increase access to US COVID-19 vaccines, according to the agency. Participating pharmacies vary by state, with the CDC providing state-by-state accounting to retailers who will receive vaccine doses this week.
In Alabama, for example, Walmart pharmacies will receive federal vaccine deliveries, while in California, CVS and Rite Aid will receive doses. Vaccine shipments go to Hy-Vee and CPESN USA locations in Iowa and to Albertsons, Costco and Health Mart pharmacies in Washington State. Search for your status here.
Hillcrest Pharmacy in Vernon, Texas, received the first federal delivery of the Modern vaccine Thursday at 3 p.m. and vaccinated patients by 3:30 p.m., according to AmerisourceBergen, a drug company and a cooperative of 4,500 independently owned pharmacies.
The rural town of 11,000 has a sizable elderly population, with the pharmacy having many Medicare patients. Most pharmacy patients cannot travel to large vaccination clinics, an Amerisource spokesman told CBS MoneyWatch. Hilcrest owners Adam and Traci Bayer have reported between 500 and 1,000 patients on their waiting list, he added.
Walgreens and CVS Health
Walgreens plans to offer a limited number of COVID-19 vaccinations in 15 states and jurisdictions as part of the federal program beginning Feb. 12, with health care workers, those 65 and older and people with pre-existing conditions among potential candidates, depending on the state instructions. Consumers can use Walgreens’ meeting scheduler, even if the system has been temporarily interrupted.
The CDC will deliver a limited number of doses to Walgreens in Chicago and parts of Illinois, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York and New York City, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia. The company also administers the vaccine with local allocations in parts of Arkansas, California, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas, he said.
Originally scheduled to begin Feb. 11, CVS began its vaccination efforts at the pharmacy until the next day in a limited number of locations in 11 states, with the company booking appointments through its programming system on CVS.com or the CVS Pharmacy app. . Those without online access can call (800) 746-4287.
“Because active stores will change regularly based on the vaccine offering, CVS Health will not provide a complete list of participating locations,” he said in an update earlier this week.
The initial launch of CVS will involve approximately 250,000 total doses to be administered to eligible individuals in California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Separately, CVS uses state vaccine allocations to provide in-store vaccinations to eligible populations in Indiana and Ohio.
“As more offers become available, the company will expand to additional states, while increasing the number of stores offering vaccinations,” said the chain, which operates nearly 10,000 pharmacies nationwide.
Walmart, Sam’s Club and Rite Aid
More than 1,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies in 22 states receive federal vaccine allocations, with follow-up starting Feb. 12. 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 offers vaccinations 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 your 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 become eligible,” said Dr. Cheryl Pegus, vice -executive at Walmart. President, Health & Wellness, said in a press release on Tuesday.
Rite Aid receives 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 in a statement. email to CBS MoneyWatch. “These allocations will supplement 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 registering here for a vaccination.
Publix, Costco and Kroger
Publix said it has been making appointments since Feb. 10 to administer the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to eligible people at 593 Publix pharmacies in 41 Florida counties, using doses provided by the state and federal government. Publix pharmacies also administered the vaccine to people in Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia. The company’s online booking system can be found here.
Costco offers a limited number of COVID-19 vaccines, usually Modern, in some locations in New York City, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington, the depository club said in an update on its website.
Kroger pharmacies have a limited amount of vaccine and now offer it in certain 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 company update. Consumers can check the availability of programming here.
Kroger – the nation’s largest food chain – said in December that its health unit would deliver the vaccine to 2,200 pharmacies and 220 clinics in 35 states.
Albertsons, Hy-Vee and Meijer
Albertsons companies, which operate more than 1,700 pharmacies in its grocery stores in 34 states, also receive direct federal vaccine allocations. Consumers can check availability at the food and medicine retailer’s many individual banners: 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 billed as “soon.”
Hy-Vee operates 275 stores in eight Midwestern states and offers federal vaccine doses 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 COVID-19 vaccine starting the week of February 8 at clinics in its stores in Michigan. State residents over the age of 65 can register in advance through the company’s website. The retailer operates 256 supermarkets and grocery stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Michigan.
HEB, Ahold Delhaize and Southeastern Grocers
HEB, which operates more than 400 stores in Texas and Mexico, offers the vaccine at some pharmacies in Texas. Check here for a new appointment.
Ahold Delhaize companies also offer the vaccine. This includes Stop & Shop, which operates 250 pharmacies in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. Hannaford now schedules meetings in two of the five states in which it operates, New York and Massachusetts, and the Giant Food brand offers programming links to customers in Washington, DC, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Go to https://giantfood.com/pages/covid-info for details.
Southeastern Grocers has begun offering 8,100 free doses of Modern COVID-19 vaccine beginning Feb. 11 to eligible customers at locations in Florida’s Winn-Dixie, Fresco y Más and Harveys supermarkets.
Acme Fresh Market, Big Y and Wegmans
Some of the multiple Topco Associates brands also receive federal vaccine deliveries. Acme Fresh Market offers vaccination appointments at its pharmacies in Ohio, although in the end the check has been completely booked. Check for updates here.
Big Y offers the vaccine at pharmacies in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Wegmans offers photos at some pharmacies in Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania.
Giant eagle, food town and price chopper
Topco’s Giant Eagle is able to deliver the vaccine to pharmacies in Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, while Brookshire Grocery has begun 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 offers 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 US – is also following deliveries of federal vaccines. Beaver Health Mart of Pennsylvania has discontinued its online registration, saying it will resume receiving orders with its supply. 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, went on social media to keep customers informed.
The Community Pharmacy Enhanced Service Network, or CPESN USA, participates in the federal program and provides vaccines in locations in Florida and Iowa.
Amerisource said it is placing orders with the CDC on behalf of its Good Neighbor Pharmacy and Elevate Provider Network – a cooperative of 4,500 independently owned pharmacies – in Kentucky, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas and Guam.
Initially, Amerisource allocates more than 10,000 doses per week to more than 100 independent pharmacies in the community.
In San Joaquin County, California, Save Mart’s Lucky Pharmacy offers appointments here.