Trump administration accelerating launch of COVID-19 vaccinations in pharmacies

In order to deliver COVID-19 vaccine to more people more quickly, the Trump administration intends to expedite rollout of its immunization partnership with pharmacies. The logic behind the concept is that getting vaccinated at a local pharmacy will be more accessible and efficient for many Americans than going to a hospital. “This partnership allows states to allocate vaccines directly to these partners, and these partners can then administer vaccines to particular groups like those over a certain age or in certain occupations, and eventually to the general public,” remarked HHS Secretary Alex Azar. The plan was announced last fall with no details on a potential start date, although Azar said tens of thousands of pharmacies have already signed on for the program. Because of the limited initial supply of vaccine, however, the partnership will only involve a few thousand locations at first. Ultimately, Azar says participation will include 40,000 pharmacy sites from 19 chains and associations.