COVID-19 vaccine: Select Texas pharmacies to administer vaccine as early as next week

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) – The CDC’s Federal Pharmacy Program will begin the next phase of its vaccine distribution plan next week. There are a total of 21 pharmacies nationwide that are part of this program, but only CVS, Walmart, HEB and Good Neighbor Pharmacy are planning to receive doses to be administered to Texans in Groups 1A and 1B.

CVS Pharmacy expects to receive 38,000 doses statewide and plans to administer a portion of this supply in select stores in Houston. The specific locations have not yet been listed.

Local CVS Health district chief Akash Patel said his team was ready for this next phase of the federal vaccine rollout.

“Just across the state of Texas, we are getting thousands of doses every week. We are giving the first initial dose to make sure the patient has a chance to receive the second dose,” Patel said.

Patel said CVS Health staff also considered locations based on their size and ability to deliver vaccination while incorporating social distancing. Those passing through CVS Pharmacy will need to enter the store to receive the vaccine.

“Regarding the specific locations chosen, they were based on population density and demographics, including the CDC’s Social Vulnerability Index, with the aim of reaching the poorest populations,” explained Patel.

He said as the vaccine supply becomes available, more pharmacies will be able to schedule available appointments.

HEB and Good Neighbor Pharmacy both acknowledge that its pharmacies are on the list to receive doses for next week’s distribution in Texas, but have no specific timeframe or locations available.

HEB Houston Director of Public Affairs Lisa Helfman sent the following statement on Friday afternoon:

“We are happy to be included in the federal COVID-19 vaccination program. While we await further guidance, we encourage our customers to periodically check vaccine.heb.com for availability updates. ”

Below is a list to find more information on the four pharmacies planning doses of the vaccine statewide for next week.

HEB and Good Neighbor Pharmacy:

Appointments will open when stores receive vaccine doses. More details are expected the week of February 8.

You can find more information on the Good Neighbor Pharmacy website or on the HEB vaccine page. If you have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, HEB has also provided a hotline. You can call 1-800-811-8620 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Walmart Pharmacy:

Some locations in the Walmart Pharmacy in Texas plan to start administering the vaccine once the doses become available. In an announcement released this week, the company said it expects to receive the last shipment of doses to arrive sometime next weekend.

A list of local Walmart and Sam’s Club locations has not yet been provided.

Walmart will schedule appointments online only for now and based on the number of slots on the limited supply received.

CVS Pharmacy:

To register through a CVS Pharmacy branch, individuals in Groups 1A and 1B will first need to register online, through the CVS website or app. You can do it next Thursday, February 11.

The appointment should begin on Friday February 12. Depending on when the shipments arrive at local stores, people could receive their first dose as early as next Friday.

If you do not have access to a computer, you can also register by calling the CVS Pharmacy customer service line at 1-800-746-7287.

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