COVID-19 vaccinations will be offered in select stores

NEW YORK — CVS Health and Walgreens said Tuesday that they are working with the federal government to expand access to COVID-19 vaccinations at their stores.

Beginning on Thursday, February 11, CVS Health will start to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible populations at a limited number of CVS Pharmacy locations across 11 states. Supply for the initial rollout, which is sourced directly from the federal government through the pharmacy partnership program, will be approximately 250,000 total doses. As more supply becomes available the company will expand to additional states while increasing the number of stores offering vaccinations.

CVS said state-specific details (eligibility will be confirmed and communicated by states in advance of the rollout) are available for each state: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.

“Our presence in communities across the country makes us an ideal partner for administering vaccines in a safe, convenient, and familiar manner,” said Karen Lynch, president and chief executive officer, CVS Health. “This is particularly true for underserved communities, which have been a focus for us throughout the pandemic.”

There are nearly 10,000 CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide, with almost half located in communities ranked high or very high in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Social Vulnerability Index. More than 90,000 health care professionals including pharmacists, licensed pharmacy technicians, and nurses will participate in the vaccination effort, giving CVS Pharmacy the capacity to administer 20 – 25 million shots per month.

CVS Health is also working directly with Indiana (utilizing two CVS Pharmacy locations) and Ohio (19) to provide in-store vaccinations to eligible populations using state allocations. Other states may choose the same option, which is separate from the federal pharmacy partnership program but can run concurrently.

Vaccines in a retail setting will be offered on an appointment-only basis via CVS.com or through the CVS Pharmacy app, and those without online access can contact customer service: (800) 746-7287. For CVS Pharmacy locations that will begin to offer COVID-19 vaccinations on February 11, appointments will become available for booking as early as February 9 as stores receive shipment.

Walgreens said it will begin offering vaccinations in stores on February 12 to eligible individuals based on state and jurisdiction guidelines, and may include healthcare workers, people ages 65 and older, and individuals with pre-existing conditions.

“Walgreens was one of the first pharmacies to begin administering COVID-19 vaccinations in December to long-term care facility staff and residents, and we look forward to leveraging our experience to support the federal government and CDC in expanding access to these vaccines,” said John Standley, president, Walgreens. “Our pharmacy teams have already provided nearly two million COVID-19 vaccinations and stand ready with their expertise to help educate and vaccinate additional Americans, including those in rural and underserved communities.”

The CDC selected Walgreens as a pharmacy partner in specific states and jurisdictions to optimize vaccine access in medically underserved areas and areas with a high social vulnerability index score. A defined number of vaccine doses will be allocated from the CDC directly to Walgreens in each geography. Those states and local jurisdictions include: Chicago, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, New York City, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

In addition to supporting distribution of federal vaccine allocation, Walgreens continues to assist several states and jurisdictions with administration of COVID-19 vaccines in select stores to eligible populations. Walgreens has administered over 300,000 vaccinations through these efforts to date, as determined by state and jurisdiction guidelines. Areas include: Arkansas, California (select counties), Connecticut, Chicago, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa (select counties), Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, New York City, Ohio, Puerto Rico, South Carolina and Texas.

Vaccine inventory is still limited and available to eligible individuals by appointment only at select Walgreens stores. Appointments can be made through Walgreens updated appointment scheduler at Walgreens.com/ScheduleVaccine when vaccine becomes available. Walgreens will not provide vaccinations on a walk-in basis at this time.