The federal government will begin shipping vaccine doses directly to select pharmacies across the country as a means of speeding the number of American’s inoculated against SARS-CoV-2.

According to the White House, starting on February 11, the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccination will allow eligible Americans be vaccinated at one of 21 national and independent pharmacy partners, including Walgreens, CVS, Walmart and Rite Aid.

The first phase of the program will provide 1 million doses to approximately 6,500 pharmacies across the country, according to the Associated Press. The White House said retail pharmacies nationwide will receive the vaccine supply “at no cost.”

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) worked with states to select initial pharmacy partners based on a number of factors including their ability to reach some of the populations most at risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Americans should check their pharmacy’s website to find out if vaccine is available as supply will be limited in the initial phase,” the White House said in a statement.

In addition, this week the overall, weekly vaccine supply to states, Tribes, and territories will increase to 10.5 million doses, a 22% increase since January 20.

“The Administration is committing to maintaining this as the minimum supply level for the next three weeks, and we will continue to work with manufacturers in their efforts to ramp up supply,” the White House said in a statement.

Participating Federal Pharmacy Partners (not all will be active in every state in initial phase)
  • Chain Pharmacies
    • Walgreens (including Duane Reade)
    • CVS Pharmacy, Inc. (including Long’s)
    • Walmart, Inc. (including Sam’s Club)
    • Rite Aid Corp.
    • The Kroger Co. (including Kroger, Harris Teeter, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Ralphs, King Soopers, Smiths, City Market, Dillons, Mariano’s, Pick-n-Save, Copps, Metro Market)
    • Publix Super Markets, Inc.
    • Costco Wholesale Corp.
    • Albertsons Companies, Inc. (including Osco, Jewel-Osco, Albertsons, Albertsons Market, Safeway, Tom Thumb, Star Market, Shaw’s, Haggen, Acme, Randalls, Carrs, Market Street, United, Vons, Pavilions, Amigos, Lucky’s, Pak n Save, Sav-On)
    • Hy-Vee, Inc.
    • Meijer Inc.
    • H-E-B, LP
    • Retail Business Services, LLC (including Food Lion, Giant Food, The Giant Company, Hannaford Bros Co, Stop & Shop)
    • Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. (including Winn-Dixie, Harveys, Fresco Y Mas)
  • Network Administrators
    • Topco Associates, LLC (including Acme Fresh Markets, Associated Food Stores, Big-Y Pharmacy and Wellness Center, Brookshire’s Pharmacy, Super One Pharmacy, FRESH by Brookshire’s Pharmacy, Coborn’s Pharmacy, Cash Wise Pharmacy, MarketPlace Pharmacy, Giant Eagle, Hartig Drug Company, King Kullen, Food City Pharmacy, Ingles Pharmacy, Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill Pharmacies, Save Mart Pharmacies, Lucky Pharmacies, SpartanNash, Price Chopper, Market 32, Tops Friendly Markets, ShopRite, Wegmans, Weis Markets, Inc.)
    • CPESN USA, LLC
    • GeriMed (long-term care and retail pharmacies)
    • Good Neighbor Pharmacy and AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation’s pharmacy services administrative organization (PSAO), Elevate Provider
    • Health Mart Systems, Inc.
    • Innovatix (long-term care pharmacies)
    • LeaderNET and Medicine Shoppe, Cardinal Health’s PSAOs
    • Managed Health Care Associates (retail and long-term care pharmacies)