COLUMBIA, S.C. — The CVS Pharmacy in Camden was the chain's first Midlands location to offer COVID-19 vaccines. Now, the drug store is expanding the service to more locations.
"CVS is excited to be part of the federal pharmacy partnership, where we are going to receive allocations from the government to provide vaccines to our customers," said CVS Region Director Richard Kimball.
CVS Health expects to vaccinate 100 people per day at 20 pharmacies in South Carolina starting February 11th. The retail drugstore announced it would administer 15,300 total vaccines statewide in the Midlands, including Columbia and Sumter so far.
"The specific locations that were chosen, that was a discussion between the state based on our allocations," explained Kimball. "Then we were provided locations based on where our stores are located. The conversation came from the state where they wanted the vaccines sites, rather than where we would choose."
The region director for CVS in Eastern Georgia and South Carolina says the store made the process user friendly when trying to schedule an appointment.
To get vaccinated, eligible patients must register on the CVS website or app. Participating store locations will pop up once you select what state you live in. Next, you will click the schedule now option. The website will ask you a few questions before scheduling an appointment at a pharmacy near you. However, if you don't have internet access, you can call customer service at 1 (800) 746-7287 ---- to make an appointment.
"Once the first dose is scheduled, they will get an email with a confirmed appointment. Then they will walk into our stores, and it will be a free vaccination for them, and they will be able to come back for a second does to close that gap."
"Now, when you schedule your first dose, you will schedule your second dose at the same location," said Kimball. "Because we do not know what locations will be available in the future, we are hoping those patients will stay at that same location for both doses. CVS is looking to administer roughly 25 million vaccines per month throughout 265 pharmacy locations across the country.
You can book an appointment as early as February 8th.
The list of specific stores will be here and on our app as soon as stores receive shipment and appointments become available.