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Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies across the country will begin administering COVID-19 vaccines as part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program on Friday.
| Ticker | Safety | Last | Change | Change% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMT | WALMART INC. | 144.34 | -1.50 | -1.03% |
More than 1,000 pharmacies in 22 states will receive doses of the vaccine this week, although there is a particular “focus on locations reaching customers in disadvantaged communities with limited access to healthcare,” Walmart said Wednesday.
The Arkansas-based retailer took into account population density, customer demographics, infection rates, and local health care availability when identifying the participating locations.
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The company previously claimed it would be able to deliver up to 13 million doses of coronavirus vaccines per month “when supplies and allocations permit.”
Last November, federal health officials reached an agreement with pharmacies in the US, including big-box stores like Costco and Walmart, to distribute free vaccines after they were widely available to the public.
Location of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in the Chinatown neighborhood of Los Angeles, California on September 19, 2013. (Patrick T. Fallon / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The agreement, which follows a partnership with CVS and Walgreens to deliver vaccines to nursing homes, is part of an ongoing effort to make getting the COVID-19 vaccine like a flu shot.
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“Ninety percent of the country lives within ten miles of a Walmart,” said Dr. Cheryl Pegus, Walmart’s executive vice president of health and wellness. “We are at the heart of many rural and disadvantaged communities, and have access to vaccines when groups are eligible.”
The retailer said it is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the nearly two dozen states “to help deliver vaccines to eligible populations as soon as possible.”
WALMART EXPECTS TO DELIVER UP TO 13M DOSES PER MONTH
While the company is working with federal and state governments to improve accessibility and availability of vaccines, offerings and suitability will still “vary based on allocation and state and local guidelines,” Walmart said.
Health workers and nursing home residents were the first to receive the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Next in line are essential workers, such as shop assistants and others who perform essential tasks that cannot be done from home.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.