Select North Texas pharmacy chains to start offering COVID-19 vaccines

DALLAS - Select pharmacies across the country will start giving COVID-19 vaccinations this as part of a federal program to make the vaccine as accessible as possible.

But don’t expect it at a pharmacy near you in North Texas, just yet. Some pharmacy chains will start receiving vaccine directly from the federal government, but exactly which locations are still unclear.

Nearly two-dozen retail pharmacy chains across the country will start vaccinating on Thursday through a federal program. Some chains, like CVS, report their 38,000 doses have hit a shipping delay so shots won’t start until Friday.

The federal government is doling out one million doses directly to pharmacies, independent of what some chains may also receive through state programs. Kroger pharmacies will join the federal program, but not yet in the state of Texas.

One million doses may sound like a lot, but health leaders stress supply is still extremely limited.

The expectation — ramp up as soon as possible.

"They do not have the allocation as of yet. They will before February 11 and right now they are working with CDC to determine exactly their allocation and their specific stores," said Kathleen Jaeger, National Association of Chain Drug Stores.

So which pharmacies are on the federal list for Texas? Some Walmart pharmacies, CVS locations and HEB pharmacies.

But it has yet to be announced which specific locations will receive doses, though the National Association of Chain Drug Stores says they’re being strategically selected.

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