WOONSOCKET, R.I. CVS Health has formally launched its COVID-19 vaccination program for long-term care facilities, whose residents have been heavily impacted by the pandemic. CVS Pharmacy teams will administer the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine in facilities across 12 states this week, and the company expects to vaccinate up to four million residents and staff at over 40,000 long-term care facilities through the program.
CVS Pharmacy teams will make three visits to each long-term care facility to ensure residents and staff receive their initial shot and critical booster. The majority of residents and staff will be fully vaccinated three to four weeks after the first visit, depending on which vaccine they receive. CVS Health expects to complete its long-term care facility vaccination effort in approximately 12 weeks.
An email from Monica Prinzing, senior communications consultant, Western Region corporate communications, said in Texas “this … effort will begin on Dec. 28 in more than 2,000 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, enabling us to vaccinate more than 275,000 patients through the program.
The long-term care facility vaccination effort is a precursor to the eventual availability of COVID-19 vaccines at all CVS Pharmacy locations throughout the country subject to product availability and prioritization of populations, which will be determined by states, a news release said.
Vaccines in a retail setting will be offered on an appointment-only basis via CVS.com or through the CVS Pharmacy app, and there will be a dedicated 800 number for people without online access. CVS Pharmacy will have the capacity to administer 20 – 25 million shots per month.
