NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Starting Friday, people can get COVID-19 vaccines at select Walmart pharmacies across Tennessee.
This is part of a new federal retail pharmacy program to get the vaccine out more quickly, and 121 Walmart pharmacies will be a part of the program.
These vaccines will be free but by appointment only. It will be based on what phase of the distribution process your county is in -- for example, in Davidson County, people 70 and older can now start making appointments to get theirs. Click here to schedule an appointment.
"When we look at geographic distribution across the state, there are 150 Walmarts in almost every county," said Dr. Lisa Piercey, Commissioner for Tennessee Department of Health. "Particularly, in our distressed [and] our rural counties, they're much more likely to have Walmart than the other chain pharmacies."
Dr. Piercey said 30 more Walmart pharmacies in the state should start vaccinating in the coming weeks. She said two thirds of the 70+ population still aren't vaccinated.
These vaccines are in addition to the ones the state is already getting. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) worked with the states to pick different pharmacies, and they were selected based on several things, like their ability to reach people most at risk for getting really sick from COVID-19.
