Major pharmacies in Arizona offering walk-in, same-day vaccine shots

PHOENIX — Major pharmacies across Arizona are making it easier to get COVID-19 vaccines by offering same-day appointments and walk-in shots.

Walgreens, Walmart/Sam’s Club and CVS all announced plans this week to make the vaccines more accessible.

The announcement came amid a report that Walgreens and CVS are responsible for more than half of all the vaccine waste in the country.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 182,874 wasted doses as of late March, with about 128,500 of those shots coming from CVS and Walgreens, according to the report from Kaiser Health News.

Walgreens on Monday announced that same-day vaccine appointments will be available in all retail locations beginning Wednesday.

Walk-ins will also be available in some stores across the nation.

The announcement from Walmart/Sam’s Club came Tuesday, with the retailer saying shots were immediately accessible through walk-ins and previously scheduled appointments.

“Widespread vaccination is the only way we will eventually end the pandemic and help our country reopen, and we don’t want anyone to get left behind as we enter this new chapter in our fight against COVID-19,” Walmart’s Executive Vice President of Health and Wellness Dr. Cheryl Pegus said in a press release.

CVS said Wednesday that walk-in appointments were now being accepted across all of its 190 Arizona locations.

Same-day appointments as soon as one hour out were also available.

Anyone can already walk in to a state-run site and receive a shot without an appointment.

Appointments can still be booked online at https://podvaccine.azdhs.gov/ or by calling 844-542-8201.

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