CVS and Walgreens pushed back against criticism from New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who blamed pharmacies participating in the “federal piece in our state” on a slow vaccine distribution in the state’s nursing homes.
Murphy said on Tuesday that both pharmacies “have to punch at a higher weight, especially Walgreens,” when it came to vaccinations.
“We have the highest density of long-term care facilities of patients,” Murphy said during a press briefing. “We have the biggest number of facilities in this program, so when they’re not performing — this is the federal piece in our state — that is impacting the sense of our overall posture, and we’re not getting to people fast enough.”
Walgreens said it completed doses at roughly 80 of New Jersey’s 95 nursing facilities and that it was “on track” to complete its first dose clinics.
“While we know there are and will be bumps along the way that impact vaccine distribution and administration, we are committed to adapting our processes to help meet the needs of our communities and the patients we serve,” a Walgreens spokesperson told the Washington Examiner. “Of the 95 skilled nursing facilities in New Jersey we are contracted to serve, we have completed first doses at nearly 80 facilities and have 40 more clinics scheduled over next seven days for first and second doses. Walgreens is on track to complete first dose clinics around the country in skilled nursing facilities by Jan. 25.”
“This is a monumental effort, and Walgreens is proud to help roll out the COVID-19 vaccine and be a part of this complex undertaking,” the spokesperson said.
Murphy conceded that delays were “largely” the result of a lack of federal doses. Last week, states were notified that there were no reserve doses released to boost distribution after being told by federal officials that vaccines reserved to ensure there would be enough to distribute second doses would be distributed immediately.
However, the governor compared New Jersey’s vaccination rate to West Virginia, which did not participate in the federal partnership with Walgreens and CVS.
“And if you look at how well states are doing, they’re No. 1 in the country because all they’re worrying about is what’s within their control,” he said, according to Fox News. “If you look at us in terms of what we control, the distributions that are controlled outside of CVS and Walgreens, you know, it is a very meaningful improvement relative to the federal program.”
A spokesperson for CVS told the Washington Examiner that it already completed its first dose distribution at its facilities and regularly provided updates on its progress in vaccinating people at long-term care facilities.
“As made clear in the regularly updated data we provide on long-term care vaccinations, first doses at skilled nursing facilities in New Jersey are complete,” the spokesperson said. “First doses at assisted living and other facilities, which were only activated by the state on Jan. 4, are well underway and should be complete by the end of the month. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to the state, considering timelines were established and made clear early in the process.”
