Throughout the pandemic, CVS Health has been a valuable partner for the government and its vaccination efforts already.
Now, the company is stepping up even more to rise to the occasion. This week, CVS Health announced that they will be able to administer coronavirus vaccines to those that are eligible starting on Thursday, Feb. 11. To start, they will be administering the vaccines in seven locations of Longs Drugs across the state of Hawaii.
To accommodate the demand, CVS Health vaccination locations started taking appointments Feb. 9 for those that are eligible. The availability of appointments is dependent on the arrival of the vaccines to the vaccination locations. To begin, the state will be allocated 4,400 doses. Distribution of the vaccine on a large scale has been a challenge for the federal government. The locations of Longs Drugs that will have vaccination availability will be Hilo, Honolulu, Kahului, Kaneohe and Kapaa. The company does plan to make vaccinations available at more locations as more doses become available.
"One of our greatest strengths as a company is our presence in communities across the country, which makes us an ideal partner for administering vaccines in a safe, convenient and familiar manner. We continue to be grateful for the commitment of our frontline colleagues whose dedication has allowed us to deliver care and peace of mind throughout the pandemic," Karen S. Lynch, president and CEO of CVS Health, said.
For residents that are interested in the vaccine, they must register at CVS.com and provide information that will determine their eligibility. Walk-in vaccinations are not permitted at this time. In addition to working with state health officials and the federal government to work towards vaccination for the general population, CVS Health has chosen to make vaccinations a priority at long-term health care facilities throughout Hawaii, probably saving several dozen lives in the process.