Walgreens and CVS to complete first round of COVID-19 vaccinations by January 25

Walgreens and CVS are on track to complete delivery of their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to skilled nursing facilities across the country by the end of the month, offering some hope amid ‘a tumultuous start to the new year.

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The two retail pharmacy chains announced on Wednesday that their COVID-19 vaccination efforts are already underway at skilled nursing facilities, which require greater patient care acuity, in 49 states, and that the first round of doses will be completed by January 25.

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Late last year, CVS and Walgreens were approached by the US Department of Health and Seniors Services to administer vaccines to high priority populations before the general public to stem the spread of the virus.

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To do this, Walgreens has partnered with 35,000 nursing and assisted living facilities across the country.

“Since receiving our first batches of vaccine at the end of December, Walgreens has remained on track to immunize our most vulnerable populations,” said Walgreens President John Standley. councils of state governments and jurisdictions. “

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Meanwhile, CVS Health has partnered with nearly 8,000 skilled nursing facilities as well as 31,000 assisted living facilities across the country.

The effort is not without its challenges.

“We are dealing with a vulnerable population that requires site visits and, in some cases, room visits in facilities with less than 100 residents on average,” said Larry Merlo, CEO of CVS.

Despite this, Merlo says the company is on schedule.

“The number of vaccines we administer will continue to increase as more facilities are activated by states,” he said.

CVS says states will have “activated nearly 31,000 assisted living facilities in partnership with CVS Health by next week, with the first doses being administered at all facilities within three to four weeks of start dates.” .

The two companies have also reached an agreement with federal health officials to distribute free vaccines to the general public once they become available. The goal is to make the COVID-19 vaccine similar to the flu vaccine.

Walgreens plans to expand access to the general population at more than 9,000 stores “once COVID-19 vaccines become more widely available in 2021,” the company said.

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Likewise, CVS plans to offer the vaccine to nearly 10,000 CVS Pharmacy outlets nationwide once it becomes available to the general public, “scheduled for early 2021,” the company’s website says. .

CVS estimates that it can manage between 20 and 25 million shots per month.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.