CVS CEO: Pharmacies Ready To Distribute Covid-19 Vaccines Once Approved

[JudyM]

Source: Forbes

CVS Health chief executive Larry Merlo says the company’s thousands of drugstores with pharmacies will be ready to vaccinate Americans against Covid-19 once the U.S. government gives the green light. In an interview, Merlo said CVS has expanded cold storage and related facilities for vaccines. Some vaccines in late-stage U.S. testing need to be stored at minus 80 degrees Celsius, which is minus 112 degrees Fahrenheit. Such storage and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines is key to the massive logistics effort that will be needed to reach hundreds of millions of Americans.

“When that vaccine is available and we get the call (asking), ‘are you ready’ we are going to be in a position to say, ‘where do you want us to go,’” Merlo said in an interview hours after the company reported third quarter earnings on Friday. “There are going to be different storage and handling requirements. We are ensuring that we have those capabilities in our stores.”

Drugstores with pharmacies including CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and others are expected to play a key role along with hospitals, mobile vaccination vehicles as well as state, local and federal health agencies to make sure Americans are vaccinated via an effective implementation plan, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention told a panel of experts advising the Food and Drug Administration last month.
...
Given pharmacies already have systems to track their customers and medication adherence, drugstore chains have built-in capabilities to track vaccine uptake just like they do a health insurance claim. This is key given Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines require two dosages weeks apart and customers may need to be reminded to come back for their second vaccination.

Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2020/11/09/cvs-ceo-pharmacies-ready-to-distribute-covid-19-vaccines-once-approved/?sh=1ed49e9fdd83

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Encouraging... hopefully the pieces will all come together as planned so we can have a smooth, efficient roll out.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. What an opportunist

What can you expect from a CEO?

[Sherman A1]

2. Why would this be a bad thing?

Pharmacies do vaccines on a regular basis. To let the public know that they are ready is hardly opportunistic.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Please .... spare me

1) as if the public doesn't already know about CVS
2) because the vaccine is months away
3) because there are obviously many competitors who will dispense the vaccine

This is just CEO speak to get the company PR and headlines. There is no reason to announce something so obvious.

[Sherman A1]

8. I like responses like this

They are so very telling.

[Sgent]

14. CVS

unlike Walgreens actually has installed cryofreezers the last 6-9 months. Hospital and universities are the only other places that routinely have them (not doctor's offices, maybe health department).

[Ms. Toad]

15. Did you happen to notice the storage requirements?

Not normally found in pharmacies, so it is NOT a given that there will be many competitors who will be capable of distributing the vaccine.

[hack89]

3. It's a model that is very effective

that's how my entire family got their flue shots.

[marble falls]

7. Exactly. Other than he announced his intention to make money at this, where's the beef ...

CVS offers a range of vaccines right now. Its like Ford motor company saying they'll be selling cars.

[Crowman2009]

5. But we'll still have the pesky anti-vaxers who won't take it.

I bet they'd be ready an willing for only a Drumpf Vaccine, but since they're hypocrites they'll say no to a fully FDA approved one.

[CountAllVotes]

9. Some people cannot get vaccines

I am one of them.

I have a compromised immune system and I am not ALLOWED TO GET VACCINES!

Of course, I am in the minority so I guess I should just prepare to die already eh?

[Crowman2009]

12. I said "anti-vaxxers" not people with certain health conditions that forbid them to take...

...said vaccine. How about reading before you respond?

[Rebl2]

13. I also

have a compromised immune system and am unable to take live vaccines, like the old shingles vaccine or the nasal flu vaccine. I don’t think they even give the nasal flu vaccine anymore. I will wait to see what my doctors say before I get it.

[marble falls]

6. Big deal, he's just announced his intention to make money at this. Nice guy. Nothing special ...

he's offering the public.

[CountAllVotes]

10. CVS sucks

They really do!

[apnu]

11. Money, money, money. Must be funny. In the rich man's world.