Congressman Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-Ga.) released the following statement after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced they will not be partnering with the retail chain Dollar General to deliver the coronavirus vaccine.
“We need to be doing everything we can to expand access to COVID-19 vaccines. The use of Dollar General stores could have provided pharmacists and other health care professionals a place to administer shots to those who are not close to other vaccination sites. The CDC’s decision again highlights the need to use community pharmacists to deliver vaccines, especially in rural areas. As we hear stories of people driving hours to get a COVID vaccine, 95% of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy. It has been estimated that 1.28 million immunizations could be given per day if all independent community pharmacies were utilized. Vaccines are critical to end the pandemic, and we should be using every tool available.”
