Walmart stores in Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas will provide COVID-19 vaccinations starting next week, the shopkeeper said Friday.
The vaccines will be delivered at Walmart pharmacies to groups most in need of vaccination according to health officials. For example, in Texas, only health workers, nursing home residents and staff, people 65 and older, or people 16 and older with chronic illnesses such as sickle cell anemia, can get the shot for now. In New Jersey, health professionals, nursing home residents and staff, people 65 and older, first responders, and people 16 and older with chronic illnesses are eligible for a vaccine.
Vaccinations will also be available at Walmart locations in Chicago and Puerto Rico.
Walmart has already administered vaccines in stores in its home state of Arkansas and in New Mexico, a Walmart spokesperson told CBS MoneyWatch. During the expansion, the retailer will offer vaccines seven days a week, a director said in a company blog post.
“At full capacity, we expect to be able to deliver 10 to 13 million doses per month when supplies and allocations permit,” said Dr. Cheryl Pegus, Walmart’s executive vice president for health and wellness.
Walmart has more than 5,000 locations.
“With 150 million people passing our doors every week, we are in a unique position to reach people where they already shop,” she said in the post, adding that the company also hopes to host vaccination events in churches. stadiums and youth. centers.
Walmart joins CVS, Kroger, Rite Aid and Walgreens, one of the retailers offering vaccinations.
Walmart’s move is coming in so many states delay in vaccinating residents and President Joe Biden watches accelerate the rollout. Pressure to speed things up is inviting large private sector companies to step in, with Amazon, Costco, Microsoft and Starbucks all of which helped to speed up the vaccination rate.
Last week, Mr. Biden that he plans to boost vaccine distribution by engaging Federal Emergency Management Agency staff and training an additional 100,000 workers to administer the injections. He has pledged to vaccinate 100 million more Americans in the first 100 days of his presidency.
In other measures to step up the fight against COVID-19, some states have their local troops of the National Guard to help distribute vaccines.