Pharmacies Start Coronavirus Vaccinations: Find One in Phoenix

PHOENIX, AZ – A new federal program aims to expedite coronavirus vaccinations in the United States, including Arizona.

The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program was announced on Tuesday as a collaboration between the federal government, states and territories, and 21 national pharmacy partners. The pharmacies involved will receive doses direct from the federal government, with 1 million doses earmarked for approximately 6,500 pharmacies across the country, The Associated Press reported.

In Arizona, select pharmacies from Safeway, Albertsons, and Fry across the state will participate.

“During the pandemic, the communities we serve have trusted our pharmacy teams to play a critical role in maintaining their health and wellbeing,” Albertons Safeway spokeswoman Nancy Keane told Patch. “Our pharmacy teams have prepared to meet the unprecedented demand and safely and efficiently deliver the vaccine once members of the public come into question.”

Keane said the Arizona sites will receive their first vaccines from the federal government later this week to supplement what it is already providing to the state. The range of doses will be limited in the early stages of the partnership, but the company hopes to increase the number of participating pharmacies when the program begins.

Those currently eligible for the vaccine can schedule appointments with Albertsons and Safeway.

The vaccine will also be available at select Fry locations in Phoenix. Pam Giannonatti, a spokeswoman for Kroger, which owns Fry’s, told Patch that the company was only asked to target Phase 1B at this point, in coordination with instructions from the local health department. Some Fry locations vaccinate people aged 65 and over, although the county is currently unable to. The Arizona Department of Health currently deems the group eligible.

However, the vaccine supply is very limited and filling up very quickly, Giannonatti said. The number of stores involved in the vaccination program will change based on the availability of the vaccine, she continued.

Those entitled can make an appointment online or call 1-866-211-5320.

To qualify for the vaccine, a resident must be on stage 1a or 1b1 of the state vaccination schedule. This includes the following:

  • Health care workers
  • First responder
  • Residents and employees of long-term care facilities
  • Everyone 65 years and older (select locations)
  • pedagogues
  • Child minders

Some locations in Phoenix are:

  • Safeway: 340 E. McDowell Road
  • Fry’s: 744 W. Camelback Road
  • Fry’s: 4505 E. Thomas Road

The pharmacies will offer the Moderna vaccine.

For a full list of pharmacies, see the Arizona Department of Health’s Vaccine Find Tool.

To date, 684,041 people in Arizona have received at least one of two doses of the vaccine. Approximately 159,902 both received.

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