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US pharmacies to offer Covid-19 vaccines from today. All you need to know
The eligibility criteria for the vaccination will be determined by each state individually and the pharmacy partners will focus on vaccinating individuals who are eligible for vaccination based on these state-selected criteria.
With the Biden administration targeting 150 million shots injected within its first 100 days of office, pharmacies in the United States will begin to offer Covid-19 vaccines from February 11 under the federal retail pharmacy program. The program would initially be limited to 6,500 participating pharmacies in the US and will eventually be expanded to around 40,000 pharmacies. The US government will allocate vaccines under the pharmacy program based on the population of the states and the program is expected to be slow at first because of the limited supply of the vaccines.
What will be the cost of the Covid-19 vaccine?
The vaccine is free of charge for everyone. Participating pharmacies will bill private and public insurance for the vaccine administration fee. For uninsured patients, the fee will be reimbursed through the Health resources and services administration’s provider relief fund.
Which pharmacy chains will be part of the program?
According to the White House, the program will include, Walgreens, CVS pharmacy, Walmart, Rite Aid, Kroger, Publix, Costco, Albertsons, Hy-Vee, Meijer, H-E-B, Winn-Dixie and retail business services like Food Lion, Giant Food, The Giant Company, Hannaford Bros Co, Stop & Shop.
How to get the vaccination?
Individuals who are eligible for vaccination and are interested in getting vaccinated will have to check the CDC website to see if their local pharmacy is participating in the program and then call or check with their local pharmacy’s website to find out if the vaccine is available. Most pharmacy partners will be using online scheduling systems to schedule vaccination visits for eligible individuals.
Who will be receiving vaccination under this program?
The eligibility criteria for the vaccination will be determined by each state individually and the pharmacy partners will focus on vaccinating individuals who are eligible for vaccination based on these state-selected criteria.
What will be the screening process that the pharmacies will use during the vaccination?
Pharmacies will screen individuals to determine their vaccination eligibility according to the state’s vaccination plan for which individuals may be asked about their age, occupation, or underlying medical conditions. But pharmacies will not require any proof of age, occupation, or any other type of credentials. This means that no specific identification documents are required for the vaccination process.
