The Biden administration is launching its plan to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to pharmacies across the country.
Initially, 1 million doses per week will be sent to 4,600 pharmacies, which include CVS and Walgreens.
Eventually, the program will be expanded to more than 40,000 pharmacies.
Pharmacy officials say they have the infrastructure and the experience to make the program work efficiently.
Pharmacies across the United States are offering on-site COVID-19 vaccines. What can the public expect?
Initially, 1 million vaccine doses per week will be distributed to 4,600 pharmacies nationwide. Those sites were chosen strategically by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in coordination with cities, states, and counties to help reach underserved populations, said Kate Grusich, a CDC public affairs specialist.
“Jurisdictions made selections based on a number of factors, including the number of stores, the ability to reach some of the populations most at risk for severe illness from COVID-19 (those over 65 years of age, socially vulnerable communities), and alignment with their existing vaccination plan,” Grusich told Healthline.
The initial selections are just a starting point. Eventually, pharmacy partners will provide COVID-19 vaccine in every state or territory where they have retail or long-term care pharmacy locations, Grusich said. For now, you can locate which pharmacies are up and running with vaccinations at this CDC website .
Who can book an appointment now?
It depends, Grusich said, on your location.
“Federal pharmacy partners will follow guidance from their jurisdictions on which populations are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination and will screen individuals prior to vaccination to ensure their retail locations are following the jurisdiction’s vaccination plan,” she said.
How it works
The way it will work is similar to other vaccination efforts.
Pharmacists across the United States have given out more than 20 million flu vaccinations this year alone, according to the NACDS.
Dr. Kevin Ban, the chief medical officer at Walgreens, said the process for getting a vaccination at a pharmacy now is pretty much how it will look going forward. The first step, he told Healthline, is to check your state’s COVID-19 website to find out who’s eligible in your area. Once you’ve found that you’re eligible and locate a Walgreens or other site via the CDC location link or your pharmacy website, you can register for your vaccination appointment online. For now, Ban said, that will mean registering for two dates, since both currently approved vaccines require two doses spaced out over time.
“We really want to confirm those second appointments,” he said.
Ban said Walgreens pharmacists will be asking for proof of eligibility.
“Age is easy to verify,” he said. “Other things may be more of a challenge.”
Will they turn away someone who doesn’t have that proof?
Ban said at the end of the day, much will be based on trust.
“We want to get the vaccine into arms,” he said. “Anyone with an underlying medical condition may want to reach out to their health providers for a note of documentation and tuck it away until their time comes”, he said. On your appointment day, you’ll get your shot, wait 15 minutes while being observed, and then head home with your vaccination card filled out and your second date on the horizon. That said, Ban warns that the first days and even week of the pharmacy program could mean more waiting.
“People confuse eligibility with availability,” he said. “What will solve that is simple: availability.”
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