Meijer, Walmart, Kroger begin offering COVID-19 vaccines by appointment

Indiana is teaming up with three large pharmacies to help administer COVID-19 vaccinations as the state prepares to receive larger allotments of the vaccine in coming weeks.

Gov. Eric Holcomb said Wednesday that the federal government, which controls the vaccine supply, is expected to increase Indiana’s weekly allotment by 16%, or about 13,000 extra doses, within three weeks.

“We’ll put it to good use,” Holcomb said during his weekly press briefing, adding: “All I’m asking for is more. That’s what every governor of every state and territory is making a case for.”

State health officials said Meijer, Kroger and Walmart locations in Indiana have begun providing vaccines or are preparing to do so. But officials cautioned that vaccinations at the pharmacies, like other clinics around the state, will be done by appointment only, and only to people who meet the state’s eligibility requirements—meaning people who are 70 or older, and to health care workers and first responders.

“Do not walk into one of these pharmacies to get a vaccine without an appointment because doses are often spoken for in advance, and we want to save you time and frustration,” Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box said.

Kroger and Meijer said they are offering vaccinations at only a handful of sites, none in Marion County, although there are some locations in Hamilton and Johnson counties.

Those two pharmacy chains are handling appointments on their own. Walmart locations will offer appointments through the state’s OurShot.in.gov website or by calling 2-1-1.

So far, clinics throughout Indiana have vaccinated 51% of people over age 80, 57% of people over age 70, and 60% of health care workers and first responders.

More than 477,000 Hoosiers have received their first dose of the vaccine as of Wednesday, an increase of 115,000 from last week, Box said.

“We continue to work to expand appointments and vaccine sites so that every Hoosier who is currently eligible can get a vaccine as soon as possible at a location that is convenient for them,” she said.

To date, Indiana has received 809,400 doses of vaccine, state official said, and is still scheduling appointments into March.

“The additional doses we expect to receive from the federal government will allow us to open more appointments,” said Dr. Lindsay Weaver, the state health department’s chief medical officer. “This is still a small increase, however, and we will continue to follow our age-based approach to expanding eligibility to ensure that those who data show are most at risk for hospitalization and death receive first access to the vaccine.”

She said the state hopes to expand eligibility within the next few days to people 65 to 69, but much depends on how much more supply of the vaccines Indiana can get, and how quickly the state can vaccinate people 70 and older first.

Indiana has yet to offer vaccinations to teachers, even though at least 23 other states have done so, including Michigan, Kentucky, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, according to Education Week.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that health-care staffers and residents of long-term-care facilities should get shots first, followed by a second-priority group of adults 75 or older and “essential” workers, including teachers. The federal guidance, however, is not binding on states.