Covid-19 vaccines for stress-tested grocery stores and pharmacies

Not all Americans are eligible for the vaccines, and shots remain short. But in some countries, vaccines are becoming more widely available, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to make them available in local pharmacies next month. There is no cost associated with the vaccine.

(Check out the WSJ’s state-by-state guide.)

The work to vaccinate large sections of the population will fall largely on retail pharmacies, with companies such as CVS Health Corp.

CVS -0.27%

, Walgreens WBA -2.83%

-Boots Alliance Inc., Walmart Inc.

WMT -0.87%

and Kroger Co.

KR -2.32%

and said they were willing to give ten million shots a month.

‘We’ll have to look at ways to increase our access points. We need to be able to raise the bar to vaccinate people across the country if we want to tackle this, ‘said Bart Buxton, co-chair of the Covid-19 vaccine for McLaren Health Care Corp. Flint, Mich.-based hospital system worked with Walgreens to administer doses to its 26,000 employees as part of the first vaccination phase.

Hospitals and health systems, which are already overwhelmed by the treatment of coronavirus patients, also cannot bear the suffering of vaccinations, said Mr. Buxton said. “Health systems like McLaren can’t do it alone.”

Pharmacies are well positioned to play a key role in Covid-19 vaccination efforts, say industry executives, as it is one of the most accessible healthcare providers for many Americans, including people 65 and older who regularly take medication at pick up local supermarkets or drugstores. According to these companies, they can also draw from their experience in providing shots for flu, shingles and other diseases.

CVS and Walgreens collectively have 19,000 U.S. stores, while Walmart, Rite RAD -10.46%

Aid Corp., Kroger and Publix Super Markets Inc., together hold another 11,000 seats. Add to that dozens of regional groceries with pharmacy counters.

CVS says it can vaccinate 20 to 25 million people a month once supplies are available. Walmart said in January that it could vaccinate 10 million to 13 million a month.

President Biden said last Monday that his target for administering 100 million Covid-19 vaccines during his first 100 days in office could rise to 150 million. According to CDC data, 27.9 million shots were fired from Friday, out of 49.2 million distributed since mid-December.

Pharmacy chains and retailers with pharmacies say they have the manpower and physical space to handle mass vaccinations, and in some areas they have already stepped in to help local and government officials. Big chains say they have online scheduling tools that can handle the influx of appointments.

Walgreens said it plans to hire about 25,000 people across the U.S. to administer the vaccine. There are 75,000 pharmacists and technicians employed. CVS, which employs 34,000 pharmacists and 65,000 technicians, declined to say how many employees it employs.

One of the biggest challenges for retailers is dealing with customers who want to know when it’s their turn.

“We are doing everything in our power to prevent confusion about how to be vaccinated,” a CVS spokesman said. In addition to long-term care facilities, the pharmacy chain offers shots to groups in Indiana, Massachusetts, New York and Puerto Rico. People who are eligible for a vaccine should make an appointment.

“We answer the question decades, hundreds of times a day,” said Charlie Hartig, CEO of Hartig Drug Stores, a small Midwestern chain, about the demand for vaccine availability. “Education takes time.”

Associated Food Stores, a cooperative of more than 400 supermarkets and nearly 40 pharmacies, is working to report its staff vaccinations and process claims quickly.

For Associated Food, planning was a focal point, said Chris Sheard, who oversees pharmacy operations at the company. The pharmacies operate largely on a walk-in basis and ask customers to make appointments for Covid-19 vaccines so that it can ensure removal and cleaning.

‘People walk in during their lunch. We can not do that now, ‘said Mr Sheard. The company is trying to get the word out by increasing marketing and social media efforts and offering waiting lists where people can sign up.

Others are looking for space to hand out vaccinations and partnerships with organizations to set up mass vaccination opportunities. He-Vee Inc., a grocery store in Iowa, is working with a local university to set up vaccination stations in a 16,000-square-foot facility, said Aaron Wiese, the company’s chief health officer.

“You look at a significantly larger number if you are 65 years and older and people with underlying conditions,” he said. Wiese said. “If you add other essential workers, you will need more capacity.”

He-Vee plans to use greenhouses, which are temperature-controlled and suitable for larger groups. The dealer has also started testing so-called waiting pods, where customers can wait after receiving vaccinations, and RVs with exam rooms. He-Vee plans to deploy RVs when it comes to manufacturing plants to immunize staff there, Mr. Wiese said.

Mass vaccinations require a robust online booking system, said America Davis, communications coordinator for Immunize Nevada, a non-profit organization that has set up a website to schedule appointments in the state. It was a scramble to get the site up and running amid the crushing demand.

“Health and local officials work literally 24 hours a day to make sure we do it right,” she said. “I do not think anyone expected what the uptake of this vaccine would be.”

Write to Sharon Terlep at [email protected] and Jaewon Kang at [email protected]