Rite Aid will start vaccinating people against the coronavirus at some of its stores in California and four other states on Friday, the company announced Thursday.
More than half of the drugstore’s locations are each slated to receive 100 doses per week under the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, the company said in news release.
Along with California, Rite Aid will begin offering shots in Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio and Pennsylvania, as well as the cities of Philadelphia and New York City.
“Initially, vaccine appointments will still be difficult to schedule at any provider,” Rite Aid CEO Heyward Donigan said in a statement.
But the number of doses allocated to the pharmacies is expected to grow over time, and vaccinations will expand to all Rite Aid locations once supply is available, the company said.
It’s unclear how long it will take to ramp up Rite Aid’s offerings, as the company said it expects demand to “significantly outpace supply for the foreseeable future.”
The pharmacy chain joins rival CVS in offering COVID-19 shots. On Thursday, CVS announced eligible Californians could sign up online for a vaccine appointment at more than 100 locations statewide.
Appointments can be scheduled by clicking here.
Rite Aid is following the vaccine eligibility requirements set out by state and county officials, which means in California the shots are available to health care workers and those age 65 or older.
The company did not provide a list of participating locations, but a map of participating stores will load after you share your ZIP code. Some counties may also list Rite Aid vaccine locations on their appointment portal, as is the case in Los Angeles County.
Those who do get a shot at Rite Aid will automatically be scheduled for a second dose, the company said.
For more on getting a coronavirus shot at Rite Aid, visit the company’s vaccine FAQ page.
