Carson City August 17, 2021
Today, the Nevada State Immunization Program, in partnership with the Nevada State Board of Pharmacy, announced the Pharmacy Depot Program to help providers statewide better serve their patients.
The pilot program is designed to support patient access and increase the number of Nevada health care professionals able to stock and administer COVID-19 vaccines.
Patients consistently rank health care providers as their most trusted source of vaccine information, however due to the required minimum quantity of COVID-19 vaccine available to order from the federal government, NSIP found that some local providers believed they were not able to provide vaccine to their patients.
In partnership with more than 140 pharmacies around Nevada, providers will now be able to request and obtain smaller quantities of vaccine to support the needs of their patients, without having unnecessary stock on hand.
“Nevadans continue to turn to those they trust for information on COVID-19 and the available vaccines,” said Karissa Loper, Health Bureau Chief, Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Child, Family and Community Wellness. “A strong recommendation from a trusted physician or other health care provider to receive a COVID-19 vaccine is critical for increasing vaccine acceptance, and when providers are having that conversation with their patients, we want them to have vaccine doses on hand to offer the patient.”
Pharmacies that enroll with the Nevada Pharmacy Depot Program will store and stock COVID-19 vaccine for redistribution to enrolled providers, and participating pharmacy depot locations can receive and process COVID-19 vaccine requests for quantities less than minimum dose order sizes from State-enrolled COVID-19 providers.
Currently there are 94 CVS Pharmacy locations, four Walgreen’s Pharmacy locations and 44 Smith’s Pharmacy locations that have opted to participate. NSIP and the Board of Pharmacy are working with other pharmacies to join the program.
COVID-19 vaccines are free and available to everyone age 12 and older. For vaccination information and locations go to NVCOVIDFighter.org or call 800-401-0946.