Walmart Stands Ready To Administer Millions of COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots
August 31 2021 - 4:15PM
Business Wire
By Dr. John Wig, Chief Medical Officer, Walmart
For months, Walmart and Sam's Club pharmacies nationwide have
been administering COVID-19 vaccines as we work to keep our
communities safe and healthy. I joined Walmart at the beginning of
August because of the tremendous impact the company has on
supporting and caring for our communities during the pandemic. I’m
proud to support the teams as we’ve expanded our vaccinations to
include third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for immunocompromised
individuals, along with our low-cost flu shots. We stand ready to
administer booster shots this fall once recommended by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) in the coming weeks.
Third Shot vs. Booster Shot: Which One Is Right for
You?
There are two different types of “3rd doses” of the COVID-19
vaccines: an additional vaccine dose and a booster shot. An
additional vaccine dose can help increase the immune response in
immunocompromised individuals who are less able to fight infections
and are more vulnerable to infections like the COVID-19 virus. The
Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, which both require two shots, are the
only vaccines authorized at this time to be administered as a third
dose to people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised. A
booster shot is a dose of vaccine administered when the initial
immune response has begun to fade. This booster shot is what you’re
currently hearing about as likely being necessary to prolong the
protections and maximize the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines.
As cases of the highly contagious Delta variant and
hospitalizations continue to rise, medical experts are recommending
booster shots, based on data that shows waning immunity around six
to eight months after the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna
vaccine. More data is needed on booster shots tied to the J&J
vaccine, which is expected in the next few weeks. While Walmart and
Sam's Club pharmacies are currently administering third doses to
immunocompromised individuals, we will only administer booster
shots to eligible fully vaccinated Americans once recommendations
have been issued by the CDC and FDA.
Focusing on solutions
As we prepare to administer millions of booster shots, we will
continue to focus on solutions that make it as easy as possible for
our customers to get vaccinated. We have already shown we can make
a real difference in our communities through our non-profit,
community-based and state and local government partnerships to
improve access to the vaccine. We’ve conducted more than 600
community vaccine clinics to date in partnership with local
organizations, to help us reach communities and get more shots in
arms, especially for those most vulnerable and at risk. Interested
customers can find more information by visiting
Walmart.com/covidvaccine.
More Americans than ever are getting vaccinated. We continue to
see increases in new vaccinations across Walmart stores, and
according to the CDC, nearly 203 million people have received at
least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while more than 171 million
are fully vaccinated. Additional vaccinations in the form of a
third dose or a booster shot is standard for many other vaccines
and can help extend the protections and benefits of the initial
vaccination.
Here to Help
Our pharmacies nationwide are here to help, as we have been
throughout the pandemic, and we will continue to administer
vaccines. Together, we can successfully meet the challenges of the
pandemic, but it’s important we don’t let our guard down as we
enter this new stage. Please do your part: Get vaccinated, and get
your booster shot once you are eligible. I know I and my family
will, and I’ll be proudly standing with my Walmart and Sam's Club
colleagues as we work to administer vaccines to our communities
across the country.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210831005976/en/
Marilee McInnis 1-800-331-0085
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