The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccination is a collaboration between the federal government, states and territories, and 21 national pharmacy partners and independent pharmacy networks to increase access to COVID-19 vaccination across the United States.
Utah has selected Walmart and Smith’s/Kroger to receive the initial doses as part of this program. This means 29 Smith’s/Kroger pharmacies and 18 Walmart pharmacies will begin receiving COVID-19 doses.
These pharmacies were selected because they have locations throughout the state, making it easier for Utahns to access vaccinations near their homes. The goal of the retail pharmacy partnership is to make it easier for individuals to get the vaccine. Most Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy. This is especially important for rural areas and in underserved urban areas.
When will vaccines be available?
Participating pharmacies will begin receiving Moderna doses as early as February 11, 2021.
Based on current estimates, Utah pharmacies expect to receive approximately 5,700 (3,200 WalMart and 2,500 Smith’s/Kroger) doses during the program’s first week.
These doses are in addition to the approximately 42,650 doses Utah already receives each week, the majority of which are administered by local health departments.
Additional pharmacy locations will be added as supply of vaccine increases.
Who can get vaccinated at these pharmacies?
Pharmacies will vaccinate individuals who are currently eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine in Utah. Pharmacies will use eligibility screeners to determine if someone is eligible for COVID-19 vaccination according to Utah’s eligibility criteria.
Pharmacy staff may ask individuals about their age, occupation, or underlying medical conditions. Pharmacies will not require ID or proof of age, occupation, or any other type of credentials – Nobody will be turned away for lack of specific identification documents (e.g., driver’s licenses).
IMPORTANT NOTE: You should receive your second dose from the same provider that administered your first dose. If you received your first dose from a local health department, you should also receive your second dose from the local health department.
Where can I find a list of the participating pharmacies?
Call or visit the web site of your local Smith’s/Kroger or Walmart pharmacy to find out if they have vaccine available.
How do you schedule a vaccine appointment at a participating pharmacy?
Pharmacies are responsible for scheduling their own vaccine appointments.
You can schedule an appointment at a Walmart location by visiting https://www.walmart.com/. You will need to create an account on the Walmart website in order to make an appointment. Walmart will also establish phone number for people who prefer to schedule an appointment over the phone.
You can schedule an appointment at a Smith’s/Kroger location by visiting https://www.smithsfoodanddrug.com/rx/guest/get-vaccinated. (Website will be updated as appointments are made available.
Because doses are limited, please be patient when scheduling. It may take a few tries or a few weeks to make an appointment.
Will there be a cost?
Participating pharmacies will bill private and public insurance for the vaccine administration fee. For uninsured patients, this fee will be reimbursed through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fundexternal icon.
No one will receive a bill for a COVID-19 vaccine.
The CDC has a list of frequently asked questions about the Retail Pharmacy program here: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/retail-pharmacy-program/faqs.html