BOISE, Idaho--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Albertsons Companies is proud to announce that more than 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to Americans nationwide through its trusted pharmacy teams.
“Our pharmacy teams across the country are working diligently in serving our communities during this national effort. We are deeply grateful to our federal partners and local jurisdictions in delivering this important milestone,” said Omer Gajial, SVP of Pharmacy and Health at Albertsons Cos. “We continue to provide equitable vaccination solutions to underserved and rural customers and will accelerate our services as doses become more widely available.”
This week, the company’s pharmacies began offering appointments to teachers as part of the national priority to vaccinate America’s educators. The eligible teacher population includes those who work in pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools, as well as Head Start and Early Start programs (including teachers, staff and bus drivers), and those who work as or for licensed child care providers, including center-based and family care providers.
Albertsons Cos. is currently a member of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program in Alaska, Arizona, California, Chicago, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. As a member of the federal program, Albertsons Cos. is actively engaged with the federal government and local jurisdictions to administer the vaccine in the communities it serves. Its pharmacy teams are bringing vaccinations to hard-to-reach populations and underserved communities, and are prioritizing teachers per President Biden’s executive order.
Some highlights of the company’s efforts to provide large-scale vaccination solutions include:
- A clinic at the Clark County Fairgrounds in Washington in conjunction with the county and National Guard where Safeway and Albertsons pharmacists have administered more than 25,000 COVID-19 vaccines
- Clinics in Phoenix, Ariz. where Safeway and Albertsons pharmacist partnered with Maricopa County to administer more than 10,000 doses of vaccine to teachers, support staff, and child caregivers in high school parking lots
- A clinic in Pueblo, CO where Safeway pharmacists vaccinated more than 500 seniors in an underserved community in one day
- Clinics in Bellevue, Olympia, and Wenatchee, Wash. where Safeway and Albertsons pharmacists have vaccinated more than 1,500 teachers; planned clinics this week in Bellevue, Auburn, and Olympia Wash. to vaccinate 2,500 teachers
- Clinics for agricultural workers in Fresno, CA and Turlock, CA where Safeway pharmacists helped vaccinate more than 1,000 and 650, respectively
- A clinic in Bensenville, IL where Jewel-Osco pharmacists vaccinated more 1,500 seniors and earned a proclamation recognizing the clinic from the local village board
- An ongoing clinic in partnership with state and local agencies in Delaware where Acme pharmacists are administering 1,700 doses of the vaccine weekly
Albertsons Cos. pharmacies have a long history of helping Americans stay healthy through vaccination and other patient care programs – and in light of the pandemic, it has hired hundreds of healthcare professionals, in addition to its existing 11,000 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, who are helping administer the vaccine where its 1,700+ pharmacies operate.
Collectively, the pharmacies that operate under Albertsons Cos. can administer 150,000 doses a day. Currently, the company’s capacity is about 15% utilized.
Albertsons Cos. pharmacies include Safeway, Vons, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaw’s, Star Market, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Market Street, Haggen, and Carrs.
More information for the public about the COVID-19 vaccine – including the scheduler for Albertsons Cos. pharmacies – can be found at www.albertsons.com/COVID-19.
About Albertsons Companies
Albertsons Companies is a leading food and drug retailer in the United States. The company operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under 20 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs. Albertsons Cos. is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2019 alone, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the company gave $225 million in food and financial support. In 2020, Albertsons Cos. made a $53 million commitment to community hunger relief efforts and a $5 million commitment to organizations supporting social justice. These efforts have helped millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, social justice and programs for people with disabilities and veterans' outreach.