Walmart, Kroger Co., Walgreens among chains to administer free COVID vaccines
Drug stores and supermarket pharmacies nationwide will be administering free COVID-19 vaccines when they become available.
Dozens of retailers (see list at end of article) are teaming up with the Department of Health and Human Services to administer free COVID-19 vaccines. As part of the Federal Pharmacy Partnership Strategy for COVID-19 Vaccination, the pharmacies will receive a direct allocation of COVID-19 vaccine once it is authorized or approved and recommended for use in the United State.
The program covers approximately 60% of pharmacies throughout the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The vaccine will be administered at no cost to recipients.
“The vast majority of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy, and our new agreement with pharmacy partners across America is a critical step toward making sure all Americans have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines when they are available," said HHS Secretary Alex Azar.
Below is the list of chain and community-pharmacies networks that have signed on as of Nov. 6:
• Albertsons Companies, Inc. (incl., Osco, Jewel-Osco, Albertsons, Albertsons Market, Safeway, Tom Thumb, Star Market, Shaws, Haggen, Acme, Randalls, Carrs, Market Street, United, Vons, Pavilions, Amigos, Lucky’s, Pak n Save, Sav-On)
• Costco Wholesale Corp.
• CPESN USA, LLC
• CVS Pharmacy, Inc. (incl. Long’s)
• Good Neighbor Pharmacy and AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation’s PSAO, Elevate Provider
• Health Mart Systems, Inc.
• H-E-B, LP
• Hy-Vee, Inc.
• LeaderNET and Medicine Shoppe, Cardinal Health’s PSAOs
• Managed Health Care Associates (MHA)
• Meijer Inc.
• Publix Super Markets, Inc.
• Retail Business Services, LLC (incl., Food Lion, Giant Food, The Giant Company, Hannaford Bros Co, Stop & Shop)
• Rite Aid Corp.
• The Kroger Co. (incl., Kroger, Harris Teeter, Fred Meyer, Frys, Ralphs, King Soopers, Smiths, City Market, Dillons, Marianos, Pick-n-Save, Copps, Metro Market)
• Topco Associates, LLC (incl. Big-Y Pharmacy and Wellness Center, Brookshire’s Pharmacy, Super One Pharmacy, FRESH by Brookshire’s Pharmacy, Coborn’s Pharmacy, Cash Wise Pharmacy, MarketPlace Pharmacy, Hartig Drug Company, King Kullen, Food City Pharmacy, Ingles Pharmacy, Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill Pharmacies, Save Mart Pharmacies, Lucky Pharmacies, SpartanNash, Price Chopper, Market 32, Tops Friendly Markets, ShopRite, Wegmans, Weis Markets, Acme Fresh Markets)
• Walgreens (incl. Duane Reade)
• “Walmart, Inc. (incl. Sam’s Club)
• Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. (incl. Winn-Dixie, Harveys, Fresco Y Mas)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made the announcement earlier today, in which it outlined its partnership with grocers and other food retailers to maximize access to COVID-19 vaccines for all Americans. The program covers approximately 60% of pharmacies throughout the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Food retailers that have signed on to the Federal Pharmacy Partnership Strategy for COVID-19 Vaccination as of Nov. 6 include:
• Albertsons Cos. Inc. (including Osco, Jewel-Osco, Albertsons, Albertsons Market, Safeway, Tom Thumb, Star Market, Shaws, Haggen, Acme, Randalls, Carrs, Market Street, United, Vons, Pavilions, Amigos, Lucky’s, Pak 'n Save, and Sav-On)
• Costco Wholesale Corp.
• CVS Pharmacy Inc. (including Long’s)
• Good Neighbor Pharmacy and AmerisourceBergen Drug Corp.’s PSAO, Elevate Provider
• Hy-Vee Inc.
• Meijer Inc.
• Publix Super Markets Inc.
• Retail Business Services LLC (including Food Lion, Giant Food, The Giant Co., Hannaford Bros Co., and Stop & Shop)
• Rite Aid Corp.
• The Kroger Co. (including Kroger, Harris Teeter, Fred Meyer, Fry's, Ralphs, King Soopers, Smiths, City Market, Dillons, Marianos, Pick-n-Save, Copps and Metro Market)
• Ingles Pharmacy
• Raley’s, Bel Air and Nob Hill Pharmacies
• Save Mart Pharmacies
• SpartanNash
• Tops Markets LLC
• ShopRite
• Wegmans
• Weis Markets
• Acme Fresh Markets
• Walgreens (inclunding Duane Reade)
• Walmart Inc. (including Sam’s Club)
• Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. (including Winn-Dixie, Harveys and Fresco Y Mas)
Currently, there are no COVID-19 vaccines that have been authorized or approved by the Food and Drug Administration and recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to the CDC. However, this pharmacy partnership is being established in anticipation that one or more COVID-19 vaccines will be authorized or approved and recommended for use in the United States before the end of 2020. Pfizer recently said that its vaccine candidate has shown itself to be 90% effective at preventing the virus in trials thus far.