Walmart and Albertsons Cos. have administered their first COVID-19 vaccines to healthcare workers and are ramping up preparation and delivery of the vaccines across the country.
In a blog post, Dr. Tom Van Gilder, chief medical officer at Walmart, said that the retailer began administering the recently approved Moderna vaccine to health care workers at select Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs in the state of new Mexico. According to the post, New Mexico Department of Health carefully chose store locations to help ensure that the vaccine is safely administered in rural areas that need help supporting vaccine distribution to health care workers.
“We’re in discussions with other states to support their vaccine administration efforts, and we will share those details as they become available,” said Gilder. “We’re also preparing our 5,000-plus pharmacies at Sam’s Clubs and Walmart stores to be ready when the time comes to administer to essential workers, first responders and older Americans in ‘Priority 1B’ and ‘Priority 1C,’ based on the recent recommendation by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.”
Gilder continued, “We will also be prepared for all Americans to receive the vaccine in the spring and summer when the broad rollout happens. In the meantime, we will continue to protect ourselves and each other by wearing a face covering, maintaining social distance and practicing recommended hygiene practices.”
Meanwhile, Albertsons has administered its first doses at a clinic in Alaska, staffed by Carrs Safeway pharmacists. According to a release, the company has received doses in eight other states for this critical first phase, and it anticipates more supply is on the way.
“Throughout the pandemic, customers have trusted our pharmacy teams to play a critical role in maintaining their health and wellness,” said Omer Gajial, SVP of Albertsons Cos Pharmacy and Health, in a statement. “We are preparing and expanding our trained pharmacy teams to handle the unprecedented demand and administer the vaccine safely and efficiently to the communities we serve as it becomes available.”
