Walmart stores in 22 states – including Alabama – will soon begin administering COVID-19 vaccines.
Here’s what you need to know about the program that will be available at select Walmart and Sam’s Clubs locations in the state.
When do vaccinations begin?
Walmart and Sam’s Clubs in Alabama will begin administering COVID-19 vaccines through the U.S. Federal Retail Pharmacy Program on Friday, Feb. 12.
Can anyone in Alabama get a COVID vaccine on that day?
No. Each state sets regulations on who can receive a vaccine. Currently, Alabama is vaccinating healthcare workers, employees and residents of long-term care facilities, first responders and people ages 65 and older. Alabama is also vaccinating corrections officers; food and agriculture workers; U.S. Postal Service workers; manufacturing, grocery store and public transit workers; teachers and those who work in the education sector; childcare workers; judiciary; and clergy and ministers.
Which Walmart and Sam’s Clubs are administering COVID vaccines?
You can go here to see a complete list.
Cities covered include Attalla, Auburn, Brent, Brewton, Demopolis, Dothan, Enterprise, Fayette, Florence, Gadsden, Haleyville, Hamilton, Huntsville, Jackson, Jacksonville, Jasper, Madison, Mobile, Monroeville, Montgomery, Muscle Shoals, Northport, Opelika, Oxford, Ozark, Phenix City, Roanoke, Russellville, Saraland, Selma, Semmes, Sylacauga, Talladega, Theodore, Troy, Tuscaloosa, Valley and Winfield.
You can go here to see store locations via Zip code.
How were the locations selected?
According to Walmart, the locations were selected in order to “reach customers in underserved communities with limited access to health care.”
“The company worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and states taking into account the population density, customer demographics, infection rates and availability of local health care resources among other factors to identify many of the participating locations,” Walmart said in a statement.
An Alabama example
“The Walmart store in Brewton, Alabama, was chosen because it is in a designated medically underserved area and is the only location to administer the vaccine for 102 miles,” Walmart said in a statement.
What other states are using Walmart to administer vaccines?
Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
Among these states, Walmart will be the sole preferred pharmacy partner under the federal program in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Maine, Nevada, Tennessee and Wyoming.
Will there be a charge for the Walmart, Sam’s Club vaccines?
Not for the individual. Participating pharmacies will be private and public insurance for an administration fee.
Do you have to be a Sam’s Club member to get a vaccine there?
No.
What should you bring with you?
People are asked to bring both their pharmacy and medical health care insurance cards, if they are different.
Availability
Supply of vaccines is limited but is planned to increase each week, Walmart said.
Which vaccine will be administered?
Walmart said its pharmacies will have no control over which vaccines are stock – the Moderna or the Pfizer versions. What vaccine is administered will depend on supply.
How to schedule an appointment
Eligible customers can schedule a vaccine appointment directly via the Walmart and Sam’s Club websites once appointments are available. Customers will be asked to create a profile in order to receive a digital reminder of when it is time to return for the second dose of the vaccine.
Are appointments available now?
Appointments will be available seven days a week, but exact timing will vary based on the local availability of the vaccine. Appointment scheduling is not yet available in Alabama but we will update here when it goes live.
Where Walmart vaccines are coming from
The vaccines used at Walmart are part of the U.S. Federal Retail Pharmacy Program and come from a separate allotment than what is being given to the states.
The program involves a partnership between 21 national pharmacy partners and independent pharmacy networks, representing more than 40,000 retail and long-term care pharmacy locations. Partners were chosen based on the population and community reach, the capability to store vaccines in cold temperatures and the ability to meet data reporting requirements.
What’s next?
Walmart said it will be partnering with other organizations to offer off-site vaccination clinics soon.