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CVS Health expands community access to COVID-19 vaccines

February 02, 2021 | Pharmacy

A CVS Pharmacy employee, wearing a face mask, makes a heart gesture with her hands as she stands in a CVS Pharmacy in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Limited number of CVS Pharmacy locations will offer vaccinations in 11 states

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Starting Thursday, February 11, CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) will begin to offer COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible populations at a limited number of CVS Pharmacy locations across 11 states. Supply for the initial rollout, which is sourced directly from the federal government through the pharmacy partnership program, will be approximately 250,000 total doses. As more supply becomes available the company will expand to additional states while increasing the number of stores offering vaccinations.

“Our presence in communities across the country makes us an ideal partner for administering vaccines in a safe, convenient, and familiar manner,” said Karen S. Lynch, President and Chief Executive Officer, CVS Health. “This is particularly true for underserved communities, which have been a focus for us throughout the pandemic.”

There are nearly 10,000 CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide, with almost half located in communities ranked high or very high in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Social Vulnerability Index. More than 90,000 health care professionals including pharmacists, licensed pharmacy technicians, and nurses will participate in the vaccination effort, giving CVS Pharmacy the capacity to administer 20 – 25 million shots per month.

State-specific details (eligibility will be confirmed and communicated by states in advance of the rollout):

State Number
of doses
(approximate)
Number of
active stores
approximate)
Current
eligibility guidelines
California

81,900

100 California Department of Public Health
Connecticut

6,800

12 Connecticut COVID-19 Response
Hawaii

4,400

7 Hawai‘i State Department of Health
Maryland

11,000

18 Maryland Department of Health covidLINK
Massachusetts 21,600 18 Massachusetts' COVID-19 vaccination phases
New Jersey 19,900 27 New Jersey Department of Health
New YorkExcluding New York City 20,600 32 New York State Department of Health
Rhode Island 3,400 4 Rhode Island Department of Health
South Carolina 15,300 17 South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
Texas 38,000 70 Texas Department of State Heath Services
Virginia 26,000 28 Virginia Department of Health


CVS Health is also working directly with Indiana (utilizing two CVS Pharmacy locations) and Ohio (19) to provide in-store vaccinations to eligible populations using state allocations. Other states may choose the same option, which is separate from the federal pharmacy partnership program but can run concurrently.

Vaccines in a retail setting will be offered on an appointment-only basis via CVS.com or through the CVS Pharmacy app, and those without online access can contact customer service: 1-800-746-7287. For CVS Pharmacy locations that will begin to offer COVID-19 vaccinations on February 11, appointments will become available for booking as early as February 9 as stores receive shipment.

Long-term care vaccination effort remains on schedule

CVS Health has administered the first round of COVID-19 vaccine doses to nearly 8,000 skilled nursing facilities, and second doses are more than 60 percent complete. First doses at all long-term care facilities that selected CVS Health to provide COVID-19 vaccinations – more than 40,000 in total – will be complete by mid-February.Excludes facilities that 1) requested a later date due to a COVID-19 outbreak or other reason, 2) were rescheduled due to lack of responsiveness, or 3) requested to be added to the program after the start date or did not meet original program criteria regarding distance from CVS Pharmacy locations, but CVS Health has opted to support. As made clear by regularly updated data the company makes publicly available, most states chose activation dates for assisted living and other facilities well into January, which prevented clinics from being scheduled earlier.

Multimedia assets, including b-roll and still photography from long-term care facility and in-store COVID-19 vaccinations, are available here. More information on steps CVS Health has taken to address the pandemic is available at the company's frequently updated COVID-19 resource center.

About CVS Health

CVS Health is a different kind of health care company. We are a diversified health services company with nearly 300,000 employees united around a common purpose of helping people on their path to better health. In an increasingly connected and digital world, we are meeting people wherever they are and changing health care to meet their needs. Built on a foundation of unmatched community presence, our diversified model engages one in three Americans each year. From our innovative new services at HealthHUB® locations, to transformative programs that help manage chronic conditions, we are making health care more accessible, more affordable and simply better. Learn more about how we're transforming health at www.cvshealth.com.

Cautionary statement concerning forward-looking statements

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor for forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of CVS Health Corporation. By their nature, all forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and are subject to risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and/or quantify. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties described in our Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) filings, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section and under the heading “Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward Looking Statements” in our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2020. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on CVS Health’s forward looking statements. CVS Health’s forward-looking statements are and will be based upon management’s then-current views and assumptions regarding future events and operating performance, and are applicable only as of the dates of such statements. CVS Health does not assume any duty to update or revise forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, uncertainties or otherwise.

Media contact

T.J. Crawford
212-457-0583
crawfordt2@aetna.com