Walgreens received permission to start booking its own COVID-19 vaccine appointments from the West Virginia Joint Interagency Task Force.
James Hoyer, director of the task force, said the move is part of the “parallel paths” initiative, where different outlets (pharmacies, local doctors, local health care providers) will start taking a more active role in the scheduling and delivery of vaccine.
One reason is to de-centralize the process to make it easier for people to register with the provider of their choice. Another is to try and convince those who may be on the fence about getting the vaccine to decide to get the shot from a known and trusted person – their personal doctor or local pharmacist.
The state continues to emphasize trying to reach older West Virginians still waiting on a shot while recognizing that Gov. Jim Justice has increased the vaccine prioritization group to serve others, including essential workers of all ages and those with a myriad of co-morbidities who are especially vulnerable to the coronavirus.
West Virginia’s pre-registration vaccination site is at www.vaccinate.wv.gov. Residents may check if they are eligible through Walgreens here.
