Walgreens sees increase in COVID-19 vaccinations in recent weeks

Drugstore chain Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc said on Wednesday it had administered more than 29 million COVID-19 vaccines at its stores so far, led by a surge in parts of the United States that had lagged in vaccinations.

The company said that vaccine administration rose more than 30% in states such as Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, and Texas in the past few weeks.

Cases of COVID-19, along with hospitalizations and deaths from it, increased in the U.S. last week, even as the pace of vaccinations increase amid concerns over the highly contagious Delta variant.

In the past week, health officials said one in three cases nationwide occurred in Florida and Texas.

A woman holds a small bottle labeled with a “Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine” sticker and a medical syringe in this illustration taken October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo

Walgreens, among the largest U.S. pharmacy chains, said it expects to administer 28 million vaccines this year in June.

On Wednesday, the company said it had made masks mandatory for its U.S. employees and required staff working at the country’s support offices to be fully vaccinated.

Walgreens became the latest company to update its policies as COVID-19 cases rise in the United States.

New guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that recommends fully vaccinated individuals wear masks, as well as surging cases due to the Delta variant, have led companies to rethink their policies.

Walgreens said it encouraged customers, including those who are vaccinated, to wear masks. The company added that the vaccination mandate, which requires employees to be inoculated by Sept. 30, does not apply to U.S. employees working in its stores, distribution centers, or other facilities.

Rival CVS Health Corp said employees at its worksites were required to wear masks or face covers, regardless of their vaccination status.

On Tuesday, Tyson Foods Inc, Microsoft Corp, and Detroit’s Big Three automakers also updated their vaccination and masking policies.

(Reporting by Manas Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Shounak Dasgupta)