COVID-19 vaccines to test grocery stores and pharmacies

Some of America’s largest retailers are gearing up to play a pivotal role in administering Covid-19 injections, hoping to avoid blockages and other complications that have slowed the early stages of vaccine deployment.

The United States missed its original goal of vaccinating 20 million people by the end of 2020, as health services, hospital systems and long-term care facilities face bottlenecks in the supply chain, reluctance to vaccinate and confusing and scattered systems for scheduling appointments.

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Not all Americans are eligible for vaccines and vaccines remain scarce. But the vaccines are becoming more widely available in some states, and federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aim to make them available at local pharmacies starting next month. There is no cost to receive the vaccine.

Teleprinter	security	Latest	Change	% Change
CVS	CVS HEALTH CORPORATION	71.42	-0.17	-0.24%
WBA	WALGREENS ALLIANCE INC. BOOTS	48.83	-1.42	-2.83%
KR	KROGER	33.69	-0.80	-2.32%
WMT	WALMART INC.	139.24	-1.24	-0.88%

(See the WSJ state-by-state guide.)

Much of the work of vaccinating large swathes of the population will fall to retail pharmacies, with companies such as CVS Health Corp., Walgreens-Boots Alliance Inc., Walmart Inc. and Kroger Co. saying they are willing to donate dozens of dollars. million vaccines. a month.

“We’re going to have to look for ways to increase our access points. We have to be able to speed up the rate of immunization of people across the country if we are to make a dent in this area,” said Bart Buxton, Covid-19 Vaccine Working Group Co-Chair for McLaren Health Care Corp. The Flint, Mich., Hospital system has partnered with Walgreens to administer doses to its 26,000 employees as part of the first phase of vaccination.

Hospitals and health systems, already overwhelmed with treating coronavirus patients, also cannot bear the brunt of vaccinations, Mr Buxton said. “Health systems like McLaren cannot do this on their own.”

Pharmacies are well positioned to play a major role in Covid-19 vaccination efforts, industry executives say, as they are among the most accessible healthcare providers for many Americans, including people 65 and over who often buy drugs from local supermarkets. or pharmacies. These companies say they can also benefit from their experience with vaccinations against influenza, shingles and other illnesses.

CVS and Walgreens combined have 19,000 stores in the United States, while Walmart, Rite Aid Corp., Kroger and Publix Super Markets Inc. together have 11,000 other locations. Add to that dozens of regional grocers with drugstore counters.

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CVS says it can immunize 20 to 25 million people per month once supplies are available. Walmart said in January it would be able to vaccinate 10 to 13 million per month.

President Biden said last Monday that his goal of administering 100 million Covid-19 vaccines in his first 100 days in office could reach 150 million. As of Friday, 27.9 million shots had been administered, out of 49.2 million distributed since mid-December, according to CDC data.

Drugstore chains and retailers with pharmacies say they have the manpower and physical space to handle mass vaccinations, and in some areas have already stepped in to help local and national authorities. Large chains claim to have online scheduling tools capable of handling an influx of appointments.

Walgreens has announced plans to hire approximately 25,000 people across the United States to administer the vaccine. It employs 75,000 pharmacists and technicians. CVS, which employs 34,000 pharmacists and 65,000 technicians, declined to say how many workers it hires.

One of the biggest challenges for retailers today is dealing with customers who want to know when it’s their turn.

“We are doing everything in our power to avoid any confusion over how to get vaccinated,” a CVS spokesperson said. In addition to long-term care facilities, the drugstore chain offers injections to select groups in Indiana, Massachusetts, New York and Puerto Rico. People eligible for a vaccine must make an appointment.

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“We answer this question dozens, hundreds of times a day,” Charlie Hartig, general manager of Hartig Drug Stores, a small Midwestern chain, said of the issue of vaccine availability. “Education takes time.”

Associated Food Stores, a cooperative of more than 400 supermarkets and nearly 40 pharmacies, is working on how its staff will report vaccinations and deal with complaints quickly.

For Associated Food, planning has been an area of ​​interest, said Chris Sheard, who oversees pharmacy operations at the company. Its pharmacies operate largely walk-in and now require customers to make appointments for Covid-19 vaccines to ensure distance and cleaning.

“People were walking during their lunch break. We can’t do that now,” Mr. Sheard said. The company is trying to get the word out by increasing its marketing and social media efforts and providing waiting lists where people can sign up.

Others are looking for space to distribute vaccines and are teaming up with organizations to organize mass vaccination events. Iowa-based grocer Hy-Vee Inc. is working with a local university to set up vaccination stations at a 16,000-square-foot facility, said Aaron Wiese, the company’s chief health officer.

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“You look at a much higher number when you talk about 65 and over and people with underlying illnesses,” Mr. Wiese said. “Add other essential workers, you’re going to need more capacity.”

Hy-Vee plans to use greenhouses, which are temperature controlled and suitable for large groups. The retailer has also started testing so-called waiting pods, where customers can wait after receiving vaccinations, and recreational vehicles with examination rooms. Hy-Vee plans to deploy RVs when he visits manufacturing plants to vaccinate staff there, Wiese said.

Mass vaccinations will require a robust online booking system, said America Davis, communications coordinator for Immunize Nevada, a nonprofit that has set up a website to schedule appointments in the state. It has been difficult to keep the site up and running despite overwhelming demand.

“Health and local officials are literally working around the clock to make sure we’re getting it right,” she said. “I don’t think anyone anticipated what the adoption of this vaccine would be like.”