CVS, Walgreens to Finish First Round of COVID Vaccines in Nursing Communities by Jan. 25

CNBC News reports that CVS Health and Walgreens said they will finish the first round of COVID-19 vaccine shots at nursing communities across the United States by Jan. 25. Nursing and assisted living communities have highest priority, along with healthcare workers. Long-term care communities have been particularly hard-hit, with residents accounting for about 38 percent of all COVID-19 deaths in the country as of Dec. 31, according to The Atlantic magazine's COVID Tracking Project. The pharmacy chains initiated vaccinations at long-term care communities in a few states on Dec. 18, and have since branched out to thousands of communities across 49 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. CVS noted that it has faced some challenges, with the actual number of residents in nursing communities about 20 percent to 30 percent lower than forecasts based on bed count, while "initial uptake among staff is low." "Despite these challenges we remain on schedule, and the number of vaccines we administer will continue to rise as more communities are activated by the states," pledged CVS CEO Larry Merlo. Meanwhile, Walgreens said it is working with states as they finalize plans for the next round of vaccine distribution, including administering shots to other high-priority groups like essential workers and people 75 and older.