Walgreens And the CVS On track to finish administering their first doses of COVID-19 Vaccine To skilled nursing facilities across the country by the end of the month, providing little hope amid a tumultuous start to the new year.

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On Wednesday, two retail pharmacy chains announced that COVID-19 vaccine efforts are already underway in skilled nursing facilities, which require a high degree of patient care, in 49 states, and that the first round of doses will be completed by January 25.

Late last year, the US Department of Health and Services tapped CVS and Walgreens to give vaccines to high priority populations before the general public in order to stop the spread of the virus.

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In order to do so, Walgreens has teamed up with 35,000 assisted nursing and living facilities across the country.

We are steadfast in our commitment to accelerate access to COVID-19 vaccines as we receive more vaccines, „said John Standley, president of Walgreens. States and jurisdictions. „

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Meanwhile, CVS Health has partnered with nearly 8,000 skilled nursing facilities as well as 31,000 auxiliary living facilities across the country.

The effort does not come without challenges.

„We are dealing with a vulnerable population group that requires on-site visits and, in some cases, in-room visits at facilities with fewer than 100 residents on average,“ said Larry Merlo, CEO of CVS.

Despite this, Merlo says the company is still on schedule.

„The number of vaccines that we are providing will continue to rise with the activation of more facilities by the states,“ he said.

CVS says the states „have activated nearly 31,000 auxiliary living facilities in partnership with CVS Health by next week, with the first doses being given in all facilities within three to four weeks of the start dates.“

The two companies also reached an agreement with federal health officials to distribute free vaccines to the general public as soon as they become available. The goal is to make getting the COVID-19 vaccine the same as getting the flu vaccine.

The company said Walgreens plans to expand access to the general population at more than 9,000 stores „once COVID-19 vaccines become more widely available in 2021.“

COVID-19 vaccinations are due to begin in the United States on Monday

Likewise, CVS expects to deliver the vaccine to nearly 10,000 CVS pharmacy sites nationwide once it becomes available to the general public, „expected in early 2021,“ the company’s website says.

CVS estimates it will be able to manage 20 million to 25 million shots per month.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.