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As the U.S. COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues, over 5,000 Walmart stores and Sam's Club locations are now "operationally and clinically ready to administer vaccines," the company noted in a statement Wednesday made by Lisa Smith, Senior Director of Health & Wellness at Walmart.
Those eligible will be able to register to receive the vaccine by booking an appointment at the Walmart and Sam's Club websites.
This week the company has been preparing to begin administering COVID-19 vaccines in Maryland, Texas, Delaware, Indiana and Washington, D.C. "to eligible populations as determined by each district and state," according to the statement.
From last week and continuing through this week, Walmart was reported to be providing vaccinations at a handful of stores to those eligible in Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, New Jersey, South Carolina, Chicago and Puerto Rico, a Walmart spokesperson told Reuters last Thursday. Walmart has already been inoculating health workers in New Mexico and Arkansas.
Smith noted this Wednesday: "We're already hearing great feedback from our patients in locations where we're administering vaccines according to state eligibility, like our Sam's Club in Greenville, South Carolina. It's exciting to see the gratitude and the optimism these patients have as they get vaccinated.
"We can't wait until more people across the country have the opportunity to receive the COVID-19 vaccine once their state has the allocation and determines eligibility to broader groups of people," Smith added.
How to book COVID-19 vaccinations at Walmart and Sam's Club
Speaking to Newsweek, a spokesperson for Walmart said: "Walmart and Sam's Club are expected to launch online schedulers next week, so eligible populations can sign up directly from our website. Until then, patients wanting to schedule appointments or those confirming they qualify within designated priority groups should check the state health department's website."
Those looking to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment can access a store locator at the Walmart website to see where bookings are available. "Currently, the store locator is only available for the Chicago area," the Walmart spokesperson told Newsweek.
At the time of reporting, vaccination bookings were available at eight Walmart locations in Chicago.
Once users click on the location of their choice, they will need to verify their eligibility before clicking through to schedule their appointment. "Please bring proof of your eligibility when you come for your appointment," the website advises.
Currently, the Sam's Club website does not have a store locator to see which Sam's Club venues are offering vaccinations. The website currently directs users back to Walmart's hub page for COVID-19 vaccination information.
Monitor both the Walmart and Sam's Club websites for more information on how to register to book COVID-19 vaccination appointments when they become available.
The wider picture
The novel coronavirus has infected more than 101 million people, including just over 25.6 million in the U.S., since it was first reported in Wuhan, China.
More than 2.1 million people have died worldwide and more than 55.8 million have recovered as of Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
The graphic below, produced by Statista, illustrates countries with the highest rate of COVID-19 vaccination.
About the writer
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in Read more