CVS says vaccination at Hawaii nursing homes, long-term facilities on schedule

CVS Health said today it has administered the first round of COVID-19 vaccine doses to nearly 8,000 skilled nursing facilities across the country, including in Hawaii, with the administration of second doses well underway.

CVS partnered with 45 skilled nursing and long-term facilities in Hawaii to begin the vaccinations on Dec. 28, and said it has finished administering the first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine so far. As of Sunday, that included more than 5,800 doses.

The federal pharmacy partnership program divided long-term care facilities into two categories — skilled nursing and assisted living and other facilities.

In Hawaii, CVS has as of Sunday administered 4,050 doses, including both first and second doses at skilled nursing facilities. As of Sunday, CVS has as administerd 1,834 doses at assisted living and long-term facilities in Hawaii.

First doses of COVID-19 vaccines for the latter are complete in several states that selected December activation dates including Hawaii, Arkansas and New Mexico. CVS said the administration of second doses is expected to be complete within four weeks.

“We’ve administered nearly two million shots to one of our most vulnerable populations through onsite and, in many cases, room-to-room visits,” said Karen S. Lynch, Executive Vice President, CVS Health and President, Aetna, in a news release. “Our dedicated health care professionals are reaching long-term care residents and staff as soon as possible based on activation dates selected by the states, while navigating the challenges of a complex rollout.”