Pharmacies have begun administering COVID vaccines

Many pharmacies across the US have been offering COVID vaccines to those who have been registered with the Fairfax County Health Department and were placed in the waiting list. Clinics have also been held by varying pharmacies to provide the vaccine however, as part of the procedure those who take the vaccine must wait 10-30 minutes after being injected in order to assure any side effects or allergic reactions.

Stores such as Giant, Safeway, Walgreens, CVS, Walmart and Rite Aid have been providing the COVID vaccine. However, this does not include all locations. If you’d like to get the vaccine at a certain pharmacy you will have to book an appointment online at the store’s pharmacy’s website. Getting the vaccine may be difficult to do so with the ongoing high demand.

The vaccine is being provided by both Pfizer and Moderna, and the authorization of the pharmaceutical company Johnson and Johnson has improved the supply for Americans across the US including Virginia which has received thousands of doses. This has caused the rate of administration of vaccines to increase drastically.  

“Pharmacies are easily accessible to the public, so as long as the pharmacist is certified and the person makes an effort to prove their age, I think pharmacies giving out will make things easier,” freshman Semir Ali said.

A few locations of local pharmacies that have been administering the COVID vaccine include:

7414 Little River Tnpk, Annandale

7501 Huntsman Blvd, Springfield 

5740 Union Mill Road, Clifton

6364 Springfield Plaza, Springfield

5870 Kingstowne Blvd, Alexandria

Because of the high demand the appointments are typically all booked. However, you need to check the online website for the store as opportunities may arise.

In order to get the vaccine  you must first register with the Health Department at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/health/novel-coronavirus/vaccine/registration 

“Pharmacies giving out vaccines will most likely speed up the process of protecting thousands of adults at risk in their workforce and means our Covid numbers will go down, which brings us closer to the end of the pandemic,” Ali said.

Those who are eligible for the vaccine in Virginia, include people aged 65+, healthcare workers as well as some workers in various fields, teachers and staff, residents/staff in long term care facilities, people aged 16+ with an underlying health condition that increase the risk of COVID, people living in correctional facilities. More details regarding eligibility for the COVID vaccine can also be found below: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine/