LCT pharmacists concerned about big chain vaccine program, survey finds 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A majority of pharmacists that specialize in long-term care worry that CVS and Walgreens don’t understand the nursing home environment and aren’t prepared to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine without major challenges, according to a new survey from the National Community Pharmacists Association and the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists. Long-term care facilities like nursing homes require specialized services that cater to the unique needs of older adults in those settings, which are almost always provided by service-oriented, independent, LTC pharmacies, the organizations say. “CVS and Walgreens were chosen to administer the program in nursing homes mainly because they have the systematic and technological capacity to handle a lot of volume,” said Chad Worz, ASCP chief executive. “But that shouldn’t be the only consideration. Many residents in assisted living and skilled nursing facilities need help – they can’t get in line or walk down to a room for the vaccination. We need to accommodate them and if that is not recognized a lot can go wrong.” Eighty-two percent of LTC pharmacists believe CVS and Walgreens personnel don’t have enough experience with nursing homes to administer the vaccine safely and effectively; 87% percent say the big chains don’t have enough staff to serve the facilities; and 36% say big chain pharmacists and techs lack adequate training to immunize LTC populations. What’s more, 33% of LTC pharmacists said the chains have reached out to them, asking for help with nursing homes. The NCPA and ASCP have shared the survey results with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.