Indiana pharmacies have not yet gotten the COVID-19 vaccine.
Several, including Meijer, Walmart and Vito’s Pharmacy are expecting to have the shot when it is cleared for release by the Indiana State Department of Health, likely depending on supply. When that might happen is not yet known.
“No one knows,” V.J. Damasius of Vito’s Pharmacy said on the store’s WJOB radio show Tuesday. “We’re in the same boat as CVS would be.”
Other sources said pharmacies could get the vaccine sometime next month.
Meanwhile, Illinois approved pharmacies to sign up people 65 and older. Walgreens, Jewel-Osco, Walmart, and suburban Cook County are scheduling COVID-19 vaccine appointments for eligible Chicago-area residents.
For now, Indiana vaccine appointments are still available only for designated groups including health care workers, police, first responders and the public aged 70 and older. Those can sign up through the Indiana State Department of Health by calling 2-1-1 or going online to ourshot.in.gov.
Vaccine sites are at hospitals and public health departments - Community Hospital in Munster, Community Stroke in Crown Point, Methodist Hospitals in Gary and Merrillville, Franciscan Health in Crown Point, Hammond and Michigan City, along with the Lake, Porter, Gary and East Chicago health departments.
The Trump administration released in November a list of corporate pharmacies that would eventually have it, including Jewel-Osco, Costco, CVS, Meijer, Walgreens, Walmart and Sam’s Club.
CVS and Walgreens are part of a U.S. rollout for nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
The Chicago Tribune contributed.
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