Texas grocery store chain H-E-B announced on Thursday that its pharmacies will administer the COVID-19 vaccine once it's made available.
"At H-E-B, the health and safety of Texans is our top priority. As a trusted source for all routine childhood and adult immunizations, H-E-B pharmacies will partner with the federal and state government to administer the Covid-19 vaccine when it becomes available to the general public, following the CDC distribution schedule," the company said in a statement.
Governor Greg Abbott said Texas will receive 1.4 million doses of a vaccine the week of December 14. Health care workers, mainly those treating COVID-19 patients, will be the first in line to receive the vaccine.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is partnering with a number of pharmacy chains, including Walgreens, Costco, and CVS, to distribute a vaccine.
“The vast majority of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy, and our new agreement with pharmacy partners across America is a critical step toward making sure all Americans have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines when they are available," HHS Secretary Alex Azar said last month.
HHS expects that as may as 20 million Americans will be vaccinated by the end of the year.
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