Oct 16, 2020 - Health

Trump administration announces deal with CVS, Walgreens to give COVID-19 vaccine to seniors

Oriana González

A volunteer is injected with a vaccine as he participates in a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination study at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA — Photo: Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

The Trump administration announced an agreement on Friday with CVS and Walgreens to distribute coronavirus vaccines to seniors and staff in long-term care facilities for free.

Why it matters: The move could help the president move up in the polls with elderly voters. Seniors, who have been significantly impacted by the virus, helped Trump get elected in 2016, but recent polls have indicated that the group swung sharply against him and toward Joe Biden.

Earlier this week, Axios reported that the Trump campaign launched a multimillion-dollar ad campaign focused in part on recovering the president's standing with seniors.

What they're saying: "Protecting especially vulnerable Americans" is a priority for the Trump administration's COVID-19 response, said Department of Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar.

"[T]hat commitment will continue through distributing a safe and effective vaccine earliest to those who need it most."

Details: CVS and Walgreens will schedule and coordinate on-site clinic dates with care facilities. Both companies believe that three visits over two months will likely be needed to administer the necessary doses of the vaccine to residents and staff.

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Trump administration announces deal with CVS, Walgreens to give COVID-19 vaccine to seniors

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