HARRISBURG, Pa. — NOTE: The video is from Jan. 18.
The Pennsylvania departments of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday that the state is partnering with Rite Aid to administer COVID-19 vaccinations to staff and residents of certain long-term care facilities and congregate care settings licensed by the DHS.
These facilities are prioritized for vaccination in Phase 1A of Pennsylvania’s Interim Vaccination Plan, but most are not included in the federal Pharmacy Partnership Program, DHS said.
The partnership with Rite Aid begins January 27, the agencies said. Clinics will be established where residents and staff of these DHS-licensed facilities can go to obtain vaccine doses at a scheduled time. Vaccinations will take place on-site at facilities where individuals served are not able to travel to a clinic site.
This effort is separate from the Retail Pharmacy Partnership program, and vaccinations will not take place at Rite Aid retail pharmacies as part of this partnership for DHS-licensed facilities, the agency said.
“As Pennsylvania and the nation move forward with administering COVID-19 vaccinations, we must ensure that our most vulnerable residents and the dedicated essential workers providing daily care and support are being protected and prioritized,” said DHS Secretary Teresa Miller. “This partnership will complement efforts being coordinated through the federal pharmacy partnership and ensure we are efficiently and effectively issuing vaccine supply to other critical, priority populations. We are grateful to Rite Aid for this collaboration and support in protecting vulnerable Pennsylvanians.”
Pennsylvania is participating in the federal Pharmacy Partnership Program in order to coordinate vaccination for skilled nursing facilities, which are licensed by DOH, as well as personal care homes, assisted living facilities, and intermediate care facilities for people with disabilities licensed by DHS.
Other long-term and congregate care settings included in Phase 1A of Pennsylvania’s Interim Vaccination Plan, including group homes for people with disabilities, residential treatment facilities and long-term structured residences for adults with behavioral health needs, and private psychiatric hospitals, are not included in the federal partnership but are still in the Phase 1A due to the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks in congregate settings, the agencies said.
These settings serve people who have co-occurring medical needs that put them at risk of more severe cases if they contract the virus, DHS said. Some personal care homes and assisted living facilities were also not enrolled in the federal Pharmacy Partnership Program and so will be served by the Rite-Aid partnership for DHS-licensed facilities.
An estimated 6,000 facilities will be covered through this effort, and it will be a multi-week effort to coordinate vaccination of all facilities based off vaccine supply available to Pennsylvania, the agencies said.
Facilities will be contacted in the near future by their DHS licensing office with details to help them prepare for vaccinations and vaccination clinic schedules for their area.