/ Modified dec 16, 2020 6:28 p.m.

Pharmacies will help vaccinate long-term care residents

The government is partnering with the private sector.

vaccination Priorities VIEW LARGER This graphic from the Pima County website illustrates the order in which people will qualify to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Pima County

Major pharmacy chains will work with the state and federal government to ensure residents of long-term care facilities quickly receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

The first people to receive the vaccine are health care workers but next on the list are people living in congregate living facilities.

Officials with the Arizona Department of Health Services said the plan to get those residents vaccinated efficiently is partner with national pharmacy chains.

Walgreens will call them (the facilities), make an appointment to go in, they will bring all of the staff, all of the supplies, all of the PPE to vaccinate those residents and the staff and then come back at the time that it is supposed to come. So, they are taking some of the state’s allocation in order to be able to vaccinate on site,” said Dr. Cara Christ, head of the Arizona Department of Health Services.

On Wednesday, health care workers in Maricopa County began receiving the first doses of the vaccine. Next up, are health care workers in Pima County.

People living in assisted living facilities are classified in the same, 1A, group so they will get their vaccines quickly.

The National Guard will send medics to rural and tribal areas in Arizona to help with vaccine distribution.

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