CVS Goes to Workplace Vaccination Sites to Boost Access

CVS Health recently announced that it began administering COVID-19 vaccines at workplace vaccination sites to increase access to vaccinations. 

The vaccination increase comes on the heels of expanded eligibility to all adults in the US and an increasing vaccine supply. The initiative will take place through Return Ready. 

Return Ready was first introduced as a customizable COVID-19 testing solution last June, but it now includes COVID-19 vaccination options in addition to clinical protocols, digital scheduling tools, and detailed reporting to meet the unique worksite needs of employers. 

The New York Shipping Association previously worked with Return Ready to operate vaccination clinics that included the International Longshoremen’s Association and its members. 

The City of Philadelphia is also currently working with Return Ready for their vaccination clinics as well. 

"The widespread rollout of COVID-19 vaccines is a welcome and hopeful new chapter in the fight against the global pandemic. Return Ready can help employers increase their capacity to vaccinate and help bring Americans back to worksites safely," Sree Chaguturu, MD, chief medical officer of CVS Caremark, said in the announcement. 

"Anchored on clinical consultation, Return Ready has successfully delivered COVID-19 testing solutions to more than 100 employers. We built upon our extensive experience and infrastructure for employer testing to now offer employer vaccination clinics,” Chaguturu continued. 

CVS Health will be responsible for administering vaccinations at onsite clinics with trained staff who can answer patient questions about the vaccine and direct them to available resources. 

Recently, Delta tapped CVS Health as its partner to begin administering vaccines to eligible employees at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. So far, CVS Health has administered over 29,123 vaccines to Delta employees across five states and conducted 181,442 tests. 

"CVS Health has been a trusted partner in helping Delta protect our employees and give travelers peace of mind with the launch of our employee COVID-19 testing program last year," said Henry Ting, MD, chief health officer at Delta Air Lines.

"With the help of Return Ready, we are proud to be a leader in rolling out a successful employer-based vaccination program to help our people and customers reclaim their lives,” Ting continued. 

Chaguturu highlighted that not only COVID-19 vaccinations, but also preventative measures, regular testing, and treatment will be extremely critical until the end of the pandemic. 

Until recently, CVS Health administered vaccines for employers that directly secured allocations from their state government. 

In January, CVS Health administered the first round of COVID-19 vaccine doses to nearly 8,000 skilled nursing facilities across the US. Allocations were based on long-term facility bed counts multiplied by two to account for staff,

One month later, CVS Health expanded access to vaccines for eligible populations at a number of CVS Pharmacy locations across 11 states. In total, there will be 250,000 initial doses available. 

CVS Health sourced the doses directly from the federal government. 

Over 90,000 healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, licensed pharmacy technicians, and nurses will participate in the vaccination effort. This allows CVS to administer 20 to 25 million shots per month. 

Part of CVS Health’s federal partnership, the criteria for which states can receive the COVID-19 vaccine, timing, and vaccine supply is determined by the federal government, while eligibility is determined by the state. 

The states included in the effort include California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.

California, Texas, Virginia, Massachusetts, and New York will receive the highest doses of the vaccine. 

With the recent expansion, CVS Health can now help employers get a vaccine supply where available. Additionally, the company is also currently managing employer vaccination clinics for 18 employers across 51 locations.