Covid-19 vaccinations will start at long-term care facilities in Pennsylvania next week - TribLIVE

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Pharmacy workers from CVS Health will begin administering the covid-19 vaccine to residents and staff members in 2,283 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in Pennsylvania starting Monday, Dec. 28.

The Pfizer vaccine is being distributed under a phased plan starting with health care workers and residents and staff members of long-term care facilities.

CVS Health is one of two providers selected by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to administer covid-19 vaccinations. The other is Walgreens.

States set to receive the first facility vaccinations, which begin this week, are Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon and Vermont.

Vaccination efforts will begin in 36 more states, including Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia, on Dec. 28.

“Today’s rollout is the culmination of months of internal planning and demonstrates how the private sector can use its expertise to help solve some of our most critical challenges,” said Larry J. Merlo, President and Chief Executive Officer, CVS Health. “I’m grateful for the herculean efforts of everyone involved, including our health care professionals who will be deployed throughout the country to bring peace of mind to long-term care facility residents, staff, and their loved ones.”

CVS Pharmacy teams will visit each long-term care facility three times to ensure residents and staff members receive an initial shot and booster, officials said. The majority of residents and staffers will be fully vaccinated three to four weeks after the first visit, depending on which vaccine they receive. Officials expect to complete this particular vaccination effort in 12 weeks.

“Vaccinating one of our most vulnerable populations is the latest milestone in our multifaceted pandemic response, which includes testing more than 10 million people for the virus since March,” said Karen S. Lynch, CVS Health Executive Vice President. “The eventual availability of covid-19 vaccines in communities across the country will bring us one step closer to overcoming the most significant health challenge of our lifetime.”

CVS spokesman Matt Blanchette said each state decides which date to begin vaccination efforts. He directed questions about how Pennsylvania’s date was selected to state health officials.

“Each (long-term care) facility was given the opportunity to choose who they would like to administer vaccines in clinics at their facility,” Blanchette said. “We’re proud to have been selected by 40,000 nationwide, and 2,283 in Pennsylvania.”

Blanchette could not say which Pennsylvania facilities would be receiving the vaccinations first.

Officials with the Allegheny County Health Department and state Department of Health declined to comment on the development on Sunday. An Allegheny County spokeswoman directed questions to state health officials. State health officials said information on the vaccination effort would be provided during a press conference with Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine at 11:30 a.m. Monday.

Walgreens on Friday announced it began providing covid-19 vaccinations at nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Ohio and Connecticut.

The company said it plans to provide covid-19 vaccinations in 800 long-term care facilities across 12 states the week of Dec. 21, and continue to expand covid-19 vaccinations to nearly 3 million residents and staff at 35,000 long-term care facilities.

“Walgreens is very proud to be a part of this historic milestone to begin administering Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccine to our most vulnerable populations,” Walgreens President John Standley said. “With more than a decade of experience administering various vaccines, we have the deep expertise to support this unprecedented effort to allow our nation to emerge from this pandemic.”

CVS Health also plans to give free covid-19 vaccinations to people at its retail locations. An exact date those are set to begin hasn’t yet been determined. Dr. Sree Chaguturu, Chief Medical Officer for CVS Caremark said that would likely begin later in the winter or in early spring.

The company expects to administer 20 to 25 million vaccinations per month at its retail locations.

“As the next few months progress, we’ll be able to announce when that program starts,” Chaguturu said.

Madasyn Lee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Madasyn at 724-226-4702, mlee@triblive.com or via Twitter .

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Covid-19 vaccinations will start at long-term care facilities in Pennsylvania next week - TribLIVE

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