'A bonus for these communities': Preparing for Federal Retail Pharmacy Program
The first shipments through the program are expected this week
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Updated: 6:13 PM CST Feb 10, 2021
The first shipments through the program are expected this week
Share
Updated: 6:13 PM CST Feb 10, 2021
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VACCINATED. REPEAT RICKETTS AS THE STATE DOES NOT KNOW HOW MANY. DOSES TO EXPECT FROM THE FEDERAL RETAIL PHARMACY PROGRAM THAT STARTS THURSDAY. HE SAYS WALMART WILL TAKE PART THOUGH. WE KNOW SMALLER PHARMACIES WILL TOO KETV NEWSWATCH 7’S ALEXANDER STONE IS LIVE WITH NEW DETAILS, JULIE ROB. WE’VE CERTAINLY HEARD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS FEDERAL RETAIL PHARMACY PROGRAM THE SHIPMENT SCHEDULED TO START THIS WEEK TONIGHT. WE’RE GETTING A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT IT WILL LOOK. LIKE IN NEBRASKA AND IOWA THOUSANDS OF PHARMACIES NATIONWIDE ARE PREPARING FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE FEDERAL RETAIL PHARMACY PROGRAM HOPING IT WILL HELP RAMP UP COVID-19 VACCINATIONS. IT IS OVER AND ABOVE WHAT THE STATE IS RECEIVING TO THE ALLOCATION. SO IT’S BASICALLY A BONUS FOR THESE COMMUNITIES TO RECEIVE THE EXTRA VACCINE. LINDSEY LUDWIG IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CPESN IOWA. CPESN IS A NATIONAL NETWORK OF PHARMACIES LUDWIG EXPLAINS THEIR FOOTPRINT IN IOWA. WAS LARGE ENOUGH THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CHOSE THEM TO RECEIVE VACCINES THROUGH THE RETAIL PHARMACY PROGRAM. SHE SAYS OF THE 79 CPESN PHARMACIES IN IOWA. THEY ESTIMATE 35 WILL INITIALLY GET VACCINES THROUGH WHAT SHE CALLS THE SOFT LAUNCH OF THE PROGRAM THE SMALLEST ALLOCATION THAT A PHARMACY COULD RECEIVE IS 100 DOSES AND THAT IS WHAT WE’RE EXPECTING OUR PHARMACIES TO RECEIVE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LISTS PHARMACY PARTNERS FOR EVERY STATE YOU CAN SEE THEM HERE FOR IOWA AND FOR NEBRASKA WHILE SOME PHARMACIES MAY NOT GET DOSES IN THE FIRST SHIPMENT. THEY STILL EXPECT TO BE PART OF THE PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES ELMWOOD PHARMACY AT 52ND AND LEAVENWORTH IN OMAHA. WELL, PROBABLY FIND OUT WITHIN THIS COMING WEEK MORE ABOUT WHEN THE ROLLOUTS THE SOFT ROCK FINISHES UP AND WHEN WILL BE RECEIVING VACCINES STAFF PHARMACIST CRYSTAL PFEIFFER SAYS, THEY’LL VACCINATE PEOPLE BASED ON THE PHASE. THE STATE IS IN FOR NOW FIEFFER SAYS, YOU SHOULD STILL SIGN UP THROUGH THE COUNTY OR STATE BUT ELMWOOD PHARMACY IS EXCITED. PART OF THE EFFORT WHEN DOSES ARRIVE ONCE WE GET THE VACCINE, WE ARE PREPARED TO ADMINISTER IT AS SOON AS WE GET IT. AND YOU HEARD MANY OF THE PHARMACIES IN THAT CPES ON IOWA NETWORK WILL RECEIVE AROUND 100 DOSES. OF COURSE THAT CAN GO FAST THE PHARMACIES. I SPOKE WITH TODAY SAY THEY ALREADY HAVE LISTS OF PEOPLE BOTH EXISTING CUSTOMERS AND OTHERS WHO’VE CALLED WAITING TO GET VACCINES. AND OF COURSE, I’LL KEEP CHECKING IN WITH THOSE PHARMACIES