Walmart’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout heads to small towns

Among the many pharmacies working with Washington to kick the COVID-19 vaccine rollout into high gear, Walmart is set to take a major role. Of 1 million doses earmarked each week for the pharmacies, a company spokesperson estimated approximately 200,000 will be set aside for Walmart locations or Sam’s Club offshoots. The brand’s oversized share of the doses is largely due to its presence in markets flagged by the federal government as “medically underserved areas,” including places like Skowhegan, ME. The government is providing vaccine at no cost to Walmart, CVS Health, Rite Aid, Walgreens, and grocery chains with pharmacy counters; and customers do not have to pay anything, either. Chad Tozier—health and wellness director for 11 Walmart stores, including the one in Skowhegan—says the company relishes the opportunity to forge relationships with new patients. For instance, he notes, many of the people who received the very first doses at the Skowhegan store on Friday did not previously have patient profiles in the Walmart system.