CVS Health Finishes First Vaccine Round For Skilled Nursing Facilities

CVS Health has provided the first round of COVID-19 inoculations to almost 8,000 skilled nursing facilities throughout the nation. Administration of second doses is occurring and is anticipated to be done within a month, according to a Monday (Jan. 25) announcement.

The federal pharmacy partnership effort split up long-term care facilities into the skilled nursing and “assisted living and other facilities” categories. In the case of the second category, first doses of COVID-19 inoculations have been made in a number of states that have chosen December activation dates such as New Mexico, Hawaii and Arkansas.

Karen S. Lynch, executive vice president, CVS Health and president, Aetna, said in the announcement that the company has provided almost 2 million vaccines to the most vulnerable populations on location with “room-to-room visits” in a number of instances.

“Our dedicated health care professionals are reaching long-term care residents and staff as soon as possible based on activation dates selected by the states, while navigating the challenges of a complex rollout,” Lynch said.

COVID-19 inoculations will ultimately be available at CVS Pharmacy stores throughout the nation “subject to product availability and prioritization of populations” via a federal collaboration, according to the announcement.

As it stands, a number of locations in New York, Massachusetts and Indiana are providing vaccines to some populations. CVS Pharmacy can provide between 20 and 25 million inoculations monthly, according to the announcement.

“Our impact at retail will be significant given our presence in communities across the country and more than 90,000 pharmacists, licensed pharmacy technicians, and nurses who will proudly take part in the vaccination effort,” Lynch said.

The news comes as some of the country’s leading executives have been contacting federal and state officials to offer their firms’ services to help accelerate the delivery and administration of COVID-19 inoculations.

In North Carolina, CEOs of firms like Tepper Sports & Entertainment, Atrium Health and Honeywell are putting their heads together to find out how they can make the launch, which has encountered different obstacles, more efficient.