Certain Rite Aid, Wegmans and Weis Pharmacy locations in Pennsylvania have begun receiving doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to information provided by the Commonwealth.
Last month, Pennsylvania health officials announced plans to team up with retailers TopCo Associates (which operates pharmacies in Wegmans, Weis, Redner’s and other grocery stores) and Rite Aid to assist with vaccination efforts throughout the state.
The approximately 170 TopCo and Rite Aid locations will begin by vaccinating seniors, health care and other front line workers as well as individuals with pre-existing health conditions, before eventually assisting with other phases of Pennsylvania’s vaccine plan.
Pennsylvanians may now use the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution webpage to access lists of Rite Aid and TopCo pharmacies which have received COVID vaccine doses. Included near the bottom of the webpage are spreadsheets containing vaccine locations and the number of doses allotted to each retail partner.
Certain retail pharmacy locations in Pennsylvania are becoming involved in mass vaccination efforts, however a limited supply of doses is limiting the number of residents who are able to receive it. (FILE PHOTO)
Note that there is a separate, federal retail pharmacy partnership involving CVS, Walgreens and Managed Healthcare Associates Inc. locations. The webpage includes information about participating locations in the federal program beneath the Rite Aid and TopCo spreadsheets.
The following pharmacy locations in Bucks, Lehigh and Northampton counties all received 100 doses for the week beginning Feb. 1:
Bucks County
- Weis Pharmacy, 73 Old Dublin Pike, Doylestown, PA 18901
- Rite Aid, 345 W. Broad Street, Quakertown, PA 18951
- Rite Aid, 96 North Flowers Mill Road, Langhorne, PA 19047
Lehigh County
- Weis Pharmacy, 3369 Rt. 11, Macungie, PA 18062
- Weis Pharmacy, 1500 Cedar Crest Boulevard, Allentown, PA 18104
- Weis Pharmacy, 5020 Rt. 873, Schnecksville, PA 18078
- Rite Aid, 27 N. 7th Street, Allentown, PA 18101
- Rite Aid, 2269 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem, PA 18017
Northampton County
- Weis Pharmacy, 1321 Blue Valley Drive, Pen Argyl, PA 18072
- Weis Pharmacy, 3011 William Penn Highway, Easton, PA 18045
- Rite Aid, 601 S. 25th Street, Easton, PA 18045
Wegmans’ website also lists its Bethlehem location as a vaccination site, although there is no indication from the Commonwealth that the site has received vaccine doses yet.
While more institutions become involved in distributing the vaccine, Gov. Tom Wolf said vaccine supply continues to lag behind demand.
“It is incredibly disappointing that the national vaccine supply is extremely limited, because states rely on the federal government to get the vaccine,” Gov. Wolf said during a vaccine update last week. “My administration is fighting to make sure Pennsylvania gets our fair share of doses.”
The Pennsylvania Department of Health’s most recent update said a little more than two million doses of the vaccine will have been allocated or received by providers by Feb. 6. Fewer than 200,000 second doses of the vaccine will have been administered by Feb. 6, officials predict.
Wegmans and Weis are allowing eligible Pennsylvanians to schedule a vaccination through their stores, however their vaccine scheduler tools indicate that all available appointments are reserved as of midday on Feb. 1. Rite Aid has an online qualifying test and appointment scheduling tool for potential recipients of the vaccine.
Regional health networks remain active in administering available COVID vaccines to members of the 1A group.
Individuals are encouraged to use St. Luke’s MyChart app or Lehigh Valley Health Network’s MyLVHN app to register in advance for the vaccine, and to receive updates on their vaccine eligibility status.