Publix now prioritizing school and child care workers, offering Johnson & Johnson vaccine

Changes are now in effect with Publix’s online COVID-19 vaccine appointment portal.

Starting Wednesday, the grocery chain started giving priority to K-12 school and child care workers looking to make an appointment, according to a news release.

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The company says the priority is being given to those groups in accordance with direction from the federal government for retailers participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. This priority extends to teachers, school staff, bus drivers and those working for licensed child care providers of any age.

After members of that priority group are finished making appointments, any remaining appointments will be given to other eligible individuals, which includes adults under the age of 65 who are determined to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 by a physician; health care professionals with direct patient contact and residents or staff members of long-term care facilities; individuals ages 50 and older who are firefighters or sworn law enforcement officers; and individuals ages 65 and older.

At the same time, Publix said it has received its first shipment of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Appointments booked on Wednesday will now be exclusively for people looking to get a J&J single-dose vaccination, with those appointments taking place on Saturdays and Sundays, according to a release. Appointments made on Mondays and Fridays will be the Moderna vaccine.

The grocer says this change will also take effect when the appointment portal reopens on Wednesday at 7 a.m. Appointments can be made by at publix.com/covidvaccine.

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