More pharmacies join in federal retail pharmacy program, receive increased allocations
'That's opening up more doses for more people.'
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Updated: 10:25 PM CST Mar 9, 2021
'That's opening up more doses for more people.'
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Updated: 10:25 PM CST Mar 9, 2021
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KETV NEWSWATCH 7 AT 10:00. ROB: MORE VACCINE DOSES MAKE THEIR WAY TO BOTH NEBRASKA AND IOWA TONIGHT. GOOD EVENING. I’M ROB MCCARTNE ALEXANDRA: I’M ALEXANDRA STONE. HEALTH LEADERS SAY THE FEDERAL PHARMACY PROGRAM IS EXPANDING, NOW REACHING MORE PROVIDERS, AND MORE PEOPLE IN NEED OF SHOTS. ROB: KETV NEWSWATCH 7’S EMILY TENCER HAS THE UPDAT EMILY: ROB, ALEXANDRA. WE KNOW MORE PHARMACIES ARE BEING INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM TONIGH PARTICIPATING PHARMACIES TELL ME THEY HOPE THE EXPANDED DELIVERIES WILL HELP SPEED UP THE PROCESS. AS THE FEDERAL RETAIL PHARMACY PROGRAM SEES AN INCREASE IN DOSES, MORE OPPORTUNITIES ARIS TO HELP PEOPLE GET THEIR SHO DR. POUR: THERE ARE NOW SOME PHARMACIES THAT WE ARE LEARNING ARE NOW GETTING DIRECT ALLOTME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. DOESN’T COME FROM STATE, DOESN’T COME THROUGH COUNTY. SOME ARE FROM WALMART AND SAMS. EMILY: WALMART AND HY-VEE ARE AMONG THE PARTICIPATING PARTNERS FOR NEBRASKA. HY-VEE HAS BEEN GETTING SHIPMENTS FOR ABOUT A MONTH, AND CHRISTINA GAYMAN WITH SAYS IT’S GOING WELL. >> WE’RE OBVIOUSLY SEEING ALLOCATION INCREASES EVERY WEEK WHICH IS GREAT. BECAUSE THAT’S OPENING UP FOR MORE DOSES FOR MORE PEOPLE. EMILY: OVER IN IOWA, REX PHARMACY IN ATLANTIC IS ALSO PART OF THE PROGRAM. PRESIDENT JOSH BORER SAYS THEY, TOO ARE SEEING MORE DOSES FROM THE FEDS. >> WE STARTED WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF ALLOTMENT, USUALLY ABOUT 100 PER WEEK. EMILY: THEY’RE USING THE SURPLUS OF SHOTS TO LAUNCH VACCINE CLINICS WITH NEARBY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS. >> WE HAVE 3 OTHER COUNTIES IN WESTERN IOWA THAT WE ARE COORDINATING FUTURE CLINICS WITH. IT’S BEEN PRETTY BUSY TO SAY THE LEAST. EMILY: KOHLL’S PHARMACY IN MALVERN JUST STARTED GETTING DOSES THROUGH THE PROGRAM. ITS PART OF CPESN, THE COMMUNITY PHARMACY ENHANCED SERVICES NETWORK. THAT MEANS THEY GET DOSES THROUGH THE FEDERAL RETAIL PHARMACY PROGRAM FOR THE IOWA LOCATION, BUT NOT NEBRASKA SINCE THE STATE’S BRANCH IS NOT A PARTNE KOHLL SAYS HE’S TALKED WITH THE STATE ABOUT TAPPING INTO NEBRASKA’S CPESN, TO OPEN UP DOSES TO MORE PEOPLE. >> I THINK THE MORE THAT RAMPS UP AND WE GET THROUGH THAT FASTER EVERYBODY’S GOING TO GET VACCINATED EMILY: IF YOU WISH TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH TH PHARMACIES IN THE FEDERAL RETAIL PROGRAM IN BOTH NEBRASKA AND IOWA. YOU’LL HAVE TO REACH OUT TO EACH PHARMACY INDIVIDUALLY FOR AN APPOINTMENT. ELIGIBILITY IS BASED ON WHAT PHASE THE STATE IS AT IN THE VACCINATION PLAN. REPORTING LIVE. EMILY TENC