The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services says a new Federal Retail Pharmacy Program is activating this week to give COVID-19 vaccines.
The federal pharmacy program will start with 36 locations in Nebraska and will concentrate on vaccinating people 65 years and older. The vaccines used at those pharmacies will come from the federal supply, not Nebraska’s. The three pharmacy networks that will be part of the program are Wal-Mart, Cardinal and ABC. If you’re not familiar with Cardinal or ABC, there’s a reason.
“They’re more like umbrella organizations, wholesale distribution-type organizations and they represent a network of independently owned and operated pharmacies across the state,” Sara Morgan with the DHHS said. “So the actual locations will have a different name that probably will be much more familiar to people in their community.”
Morgan said health officials hope to increase the number of locations that are part of the Retail Pharmacy Program. She said pharmacies will work with local health departments to schedule the vaccinations.