Michigan Rite Aids Now Offering COVID-19 Vaccinations
Another retailer with pharmacies in Michigan is now offering COVID-19 vaccinations: Rite Aid joins Meijer and SpartanNash.
Rite Aid is a partner in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, a collaboration between the federal government, states and territories, and 21 national pharmacy partners and independent pharmacy networks to increase access to COVID-19 vaccination across the United States.
According to the CDC, "As vaccine availability increases over time, the program will expand to ultimately include all 40,000+ pharmacies."
To start, Rite Aid is administering COVID-19 vaccinations in five states and two jurisdictions: Michigan, California, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and New York City.
According to Rite Aid:
At launch, we expect to receive 100 doses per participating store, per week. These allocations will grow over time and supplement existing supply from state and local governments. Rite Aid will be providing vaccinations in over half of its locations and expects to provide vaccinations in all its locations once supply is available.
Heyward Donigan, president and chief executive officer, Rite Aid said in a release,
"With vaccine demand outpacing supply, the establishment of an additional channel for vaccine allocation and distribution is an important and positive first step in the effort to end COVID-19. "Initially, vaccine appointments will still be difficult to schedule at any provider. However, we expect to see availability of the vaccine improve over time, and Rite Aid stands ready to administer as many vaccines as we are allocated quickly, safely and efficiently."
The company says you can find information on access and availability to COVID-19 vaccines and testing at riteaid.com/covid-19.
LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions
While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.