While a hospital-sponsored COVID-19 virus vaccine operation is still being developed with a Feb. 2 target date for opening, at least two pharmacies in Mesquite are beginning their own corporate-sponsored vaccine programs.
Smith’s Food and Drug Pharmacy is set to begin offering free vaccines today for Healthcare workers and those age 70 and over, Smith’s pharmacist Kirsten Pearson told the Mesquite Citizen Journal.
The vaccinations will be by appointment only with no walk-in vaccines available. Identification is required for age verification. If you are a healthcare worker, an ID and a work badge/current pay stub is required.
“Please do not call the pharmacy directly because we can’t make an appointment for you,” Pearson said.
Appointments can be made online by accessing this website: smithsfoodanddrug.com/health/clinic/vaccinations or by calling 877-444-9689.
A check of the online appointment site this morning said no appointments were available at the present time. Appointments will become available one week out so people should check the site often.
As people may cancel appointments they’ve made, random appointments will appear in the scheduler. If someone needs to cancel an appointment, they are asked to do so as soon as possible so it can become available for someone else.
Smith’s is using the Moderna vaccine that does not require as extreme refrigeration as does the Phizer vaccine. “We only have so many vaccines that we can thaw for a particular day,” Pearson said. “Appointments will be available every 15 minutes so we can observe patients for that long after they receive the vaccine.”
The vaccine is being provided by the federal government directly to the Kroger corporation rather than through local government health care agencies.
Smith’s anticipates providing vaccinations seven days a week: Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at their Mesquite pharmacy.
Pearson said that snowbirds who live in Mesquite part-time will be eligible to receive the vaccine shots as long as they are 70 years old or older.
No vaccine shots will be provided outside the pharmacy area located within the Smith’s store. “People with physical disabilities will be required to come into the pharmacy area for observation purposes,” Pearson said.
According to Linda Faas, MCJ reporter, “today [Jan. 19] Walgreens sent emails to their online members advertising COVID-19 vaccine appointments. Several of us signed up for as early as Friday. Al and I got Monday, Jan. 25 appointments.”
It appears you must be an online member of the Walgreens pharmacy club. No information was readily available on the Walgreens website regarding vaccinations for the general public.
bob koelzer says
is there a wait list or cancel line?
Flora Abplanalp says
Where are all us from Arizona Strip get our vaccinations?
madelon bates says
need a covid 19 shot. I am 79 years old
Dolores Schrader says
my Husband and I in our early 80s would like to recive vaccine . We have not been able to get in at the Star. Do you have avaible times?
Dianne C Riley says
We get all of our prescriptions at the Mesquite Walgreens. Why didn’t we receive an email about availability of Covid 19 vaccination appointments?
Mesquite Citizen Journal says
Dianne,
We can’t answer that question. Please check with the Walgreens pharmacy.
Barbara Ellestad
Publisher/Editor
Robert Szuch says
Where and when can my wife and I sign up for the COVID vaccine?
Mesquite Citizen Journal says
Robert,
The Mesquite Citizen Journal published a news article this morning that provides all the info – website address and phone number – you need to sign up for a vaccine provided you are 70 years old or older. The article also has the forms and other information you need.
Click on this link for the article – https://mesquitecitizenjournal.com/breaking-news-covid-19-vaccination-appointment-website-set-to-open-tuesday/
Barbara Ellestad
Publisher/Editor