GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine is just starting, and Meijer pharmacies are gearing up to handle a large number of patients once the shots are ready to go.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is partnering with several pharmacies across the nation to make sure the vaccine is available to as many people as possible. Meijer is one of those partners.
“Throughout this pandemic our stores and store teams have played an important role in supporting communities throughout the Midwest,” said Meijer President & CEO Rick Keyes in a release. “We are aggressively preparing for the next phase of this challenge, which will be to ensure our communities have the ability to quickly and safely obtain a COVID-19 vaccine once they become available.”
“I’m very proud of our Meijer team and our partnership with the CDC and HHS to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to our communities once its available,” said Meijer Vice President of Pharmacy Jason Beauch. “Our pharmacists, pharmacy interns, and pharmacy technicians throughout the Midwest continue to prepare for the unprecedented challenge of vaccinating a very large number of people in the near future.”
Meijer says it is looking at locations to create large spaces to administer the vaccine. Flu shot clinics this fall were held in sports arenas and outdoor spaces to accommodate social distancing guidelines. Meijer coordinated clinics at Comerica Park, and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.