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CVS Health chops 2024 forecast as cost struggles with Medicare Advantage persist
Read full article: CVS Health chops 2024 forecast as cost struggles with Medicare Advantage persistCVS Health missed first-quarter expectations and chopped its 2024 outlook more than a dollar below Wall Street’s forecast.
CVS Health grows more cautious about 2024 as it deals with rising Medicare Advantage costs
Read full article: CVS Health grows more cautious about 2024 as it deals with rising Medicare Advantage costsBusy Medicare Advantage businesses have CVS Health and other insurance providers spooked about the new year.
SmileDirectClub shuts down months after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
Read full article: SmileDirectClub shuts down months after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protectionSmileDirectClub is shutting down — just months after the struggling teeth-straightening company filed for bankruptcy protection.
CVS Health lays out changes to clarify prescription drug pricing that may save some customers money
Read full article: CVS Health lays out changes to clarify prescription drug pricing that may save some customers moneyCVS Health is introducing changes to how its prescription drug pricing model works, and that could lead to some savings for customers starting next year.
Pharmacists prescribe another round of US protests to highlight working conditions
Read full article: Pharmacists prescribe another round of US protests to highlight working conditionsDrugstore employees around the country have started calling in sick to highlight a lack of support from their employers.
CVS Health turns in better-than-expected 2Q even as pharmacy pricing, increased care use hurt
Read full article: CVS Health turns in better-than-expected 2Q even as pharmacy pricing, increased care use hurtCVS Health topped second-quarter expectations, but the health care giant’s profit sank as pricing pressure hurt its drugstore business and rising medical costs hit the health insurance side.
Florida attorney general joins warning to Walgreens, CVS over abortion pills
Read full article: Florida attorney general joins warning to Walgreens, CVS over abortion pillsAttorneys general in 20 conservative-led states are warning CVS and Walgreens that they could face legal consequences if they sell abortion pills by mail in those states.
Terrell Owens says man he punched at CVS threatened him, fan
Read full article: Terrell Owens says man he punched at CVS threatened him, fanRetired NFL star Terrell Owens said a fight caught on camera in which he punched a man in a CVS parking lot was the result of an “aggressor” threatening him and a fan he was talking to at the California store.
CVS Health tops forecasts, reserves billions for settlement
Read full article: CVS Health tops forecasts, reserves billions for settlementCVS Health booked a third-quarter loss of more than $3 billion after setting aside money for a potential opioid litigation settlement but still beat expectations and raised its 2022 forecast.
Judge: Pharmacies owe 2 Ohio counties $650M in opioids suit
Read full article: Judge: Pharmacies owe 2 Ohio counties $650M in opioids suitA federal judge in Cleveland has awarded $650 million in damages to two Ohio counties that sued CVS, Walgreens and Walmart over the way the national pharmacy chains distributed opioids to their communities.
Publix not offering COVID-19 vaccine to children under 5 ‘at this time’
Read full article: Publix not offering COVID-19 vaccine to children under 5 ‘at this time’As Pfizer’s and Moderna’s lower-dose COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 are rolled out across the U.S., Lakeland-based supermarket chain Publix confirmed this week that it is not administering the shots to that age group “at this time,” offering little explanation.
Judge to decide how much pharmacies owe over opioid crisis
Read full article: Judge to decide how much pharmacies owe over opioid crisisA hearing began Tuesday in federal court in Cleveland that will help a judge determine how much CVS, Walgreens and Walmart should pay two northeast Ohio counties to help them ease the continuing opioid crisis.
Giant Eagle settles pharmacy lawsuits with Ohio counties
Read full article: Giant Eagle settles pharmacy lawsuits with Ohio countiesOne of the four retail pharmacy companies on trial for their alleged roles in fostering an opioid crisis in two Ohio counties announced Friday it had settled a lawsuit with 10 government entities in the state.
CVS, Walgreens begin offering extra COVID-19 vaccine dose to some immunocompromised
Read full article: CVS, Walgreens begin offering extra COVID-19 vaccine dose to some immunocompromisedAppointments to receive a third shot of the COVID-19 vaccine for those who are immunocompromised are now available at CVS and Walgreens pharmacies.
Florida pharmacies, county sites begin offering COVID-19 vaccine shots for children 12 to 15
Read full article: Florida pharmacies, county sites begin offering COVID-19 vaccine shots for children 12 to 15Following the FDA emergency approval of the Pfizer shots for children over 12 years old major pharmacy chains across the U.S. are starting to rollout appointments for the age group.
CVS Pharmacy expanding vaccine locations across Florida
Read full article: CVS Pharmacy expanding vaccine locations across FloridaLEE COUNTY, Fla. – CVS Pharmacy will be receiving more COVID-19 vaccine doses and expanding its inoculations across Florida beginning Friday, Gov. Under Florida vaccine eligibility groups: K-12 school employees, law enforcement officers and firefighters, all 50 and older, can also get vaccinated. AdCVS, CVS Pharmacy y más, Navarro Discount Pharmacy, Publix, Winn-Dixie and Walmart pharmacies are also offering vaccines in Florida by appointment. I mentioned we are going to probably do another Walgreens would be really, really good,” DeSantis said. Just make an appointment come into your local pharmacy, do it.”Find a list of CVS Pharmacy locations and make an appointment for a vaccine here.
Walgreens in Marion County offering vaccinations, first in Central Florida
Read full article: Walgreens in Marion County offering vaccinations, first in Central FloridaMARION COUNTY, Fla. – Walgreens will begin offering COVID-19 vaccinations at two locations in Ocala this week. These will be the first Walgreens locations in Central Florida to offer the shots. The governor announced the first Walgreens locations to begin offering the vaccine Wednesday, during a news conference in Pasco County, where two locations began offering shots Friday. DeSantis said he is looking to get more Walgreens locations involved in vaccination, along with competing pharmacy chain CVS. “We’re going to be doing more with both Walgreens and with CVS, because I think it’s close to a lot of people.
Here’s where Florida teachers, school staff and child care workers can get the COVID-19 vaccine
Read full article: Here’s where Florida teachers, school staff and child care workers can get the COVID-19 vaccineUnder new federal vaccine eligibility, President Joe Biden is pushing to get people who work with children inoculated by the end of March. [RELATED COVERAGE: All Florida teachers, child care workers can now get COVID-19 vaccine at these pharmacies]AdBelow is a list of places offering the vaccine to those individuals under federal guidelines. The website now lists openings for K-12 teachers and staff, day care workers and preschool workers. PublixBeginning March 4, all Florida child care, teachers and school personnel will be eligible to make an appointment at Publix pharmacies across the state. AdWalmartWalmart also amended its website to include K-12 teachers and staff, day care workers and preschool workers with no age restrictions.
Vaccine eligibility expands as Florida reports 6,144 new COVID-19 cases
Read full article: Vaccine eligibility expands as Florida reports 6,144 new COVID-19 casesAs of Thursday morning, nearly 1.78 million Floridians have had their vaccinations complete, according to the Florida Department of Health. [READ YESTERDAY’S REPORT: Federally backed vaccine site opens in Orlando as state reports 5,555 new COVID-19 cases]Find the state-run COVID-19 dashboard below:Below is a breakdown of Florida COVID-19 data reported by the state on March 4. AdCasesThe Florida Department of Health reported 6,144 new cases on Thursday, bringing the state’s overall total to 1,930,232 cases since the virus was first detected on March 1, 2020. VaccinationsThe Florida Department of Health began releasing a daily report in December on COVID-19 vaccines administered throughout the state. As of Thursday afternoon, 3,258,997 people have received at least the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
Second day for Orlando FEMA vaccine site sees higher turnout
Read full article: Second day for Orlando FEMA vaccine site sees higher turnoutORLANDO, Fla. – The second day of Orlando’s FEMA mass vaccination site began with higher turnout after the location failed to reach its 2,000-dose capacity on Wednesday. The site nearly reached 90% capacity on day one, according to officials, blaming the lower-than-expected turnout on the wet weather Wednesday morning and the fact that it was the first day. So, day by day, we’re making improvements to this site to make sure that we can take care of the people of Orlando,” Fisher said. FEMA vaccine site at Valencia College in Orlando (Copyright 2021 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.) Second day of operation at FEMA site in Orlando saw a higher turnout (Copyright 2021 by WKMG ClickOrlando - All rights reserved.)
UPDATE: All Florida teachers, child care workers can now get COVID-19 vaccine at these pharmacies
Read full article: UPDATE: All Florida teachers, child care workers can now get COVID-19 vaccine at these pharmaciesAccording to CVS’ website, 24 pharmacies in Florida can provide shots. Previously, only those 65 and older were eligible, along with health care workers. The website now lists openings for K-12 teachers and staff, day care workers and preschool workers. On Thursday, Walmart also amended its website to include K-12 teachers and staff, day care workers and preschool workers with no age restrictions. https://t.co/8w5lTrLQLd — Rep. Darren Soto (@RepDarrenSoto) March 4, 2021Publix soon followed suit, also expanding its eligibility requirements on Thursday to Florida teachers and child care workers of all ages.
FEMA vaccine sites saw ‘tepid’ demand across Florida, governor says
Read full article: FEMA vaccine sites saw ‘tepid’ demand across Florida, governor saysCRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. – The four FEMA COVID-19 vaccination sites now open across Florida saw a “tepid” demand on their first-day operation, according to Gov. And so you know, that’s just the first day you’ll we’ll see how that goes as we go forward,’ DeSantis said. So we’re very much appreciative of having more vaccine here.”The four sites opened Wednesday in Tampa, Jacksonville, Miami and in Orlando at Valencia College. The chain also began vaccinating day care and preschool teachers, although DeSantis has not yet opened the vaccination program to them. And so the pharmacies are obviously going to accommodate that, these sites will accommodate that.”AdFor teachers, Florida limits the vaccine to educators 50 and older who work in kindergarten through 12th grade.
46-year-old Lakeland man receives COVID-19 vaccine after latest executive order
Read full article: 46-year-old Lakeland man receives COVID-19 vaccine after latest executive orderLAKELAND, Fla. – Doug Veal, 46, of Lakeland was able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine a day after the Florida Department of Health released the eligibility form for “extremely vulnerable” patients. The Lakeland man said he used a letter he received from his physician to obtain a vaccine from CVS. [RELATED: Florida releases eligibility form for ‘extremely vulnerable’ patients for COVID-19 vaccine]CLICK HERE FOR THE FORMAdThe 46-year-old said he is in the latest priority group for people deemed extremely vulnerable by a doctor. The prioritization requires “medically vulnerable” patients to provide a state-issued form found on the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) homepage. “The state is asking folks to fill out a specific form that was published by the Florida Department of Health.
FAMU to open COVID-19 vaccination site as early as next week
Read full article: FAMU to open COVID-19 vaccination site as early as next week(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida A&M University will host a state-operated community COVID-19 vaccination site as early as next week, said President Larry Robinson in a news release on Saturday. “We want to reach out to the community, which has been disproportionately affected by COVID-19,” said Tanya Tatum, FAMU director of Student Health Services. “This is how we are going to start reaching the underserved.”FAMU started running a community-based COVID-19 testing site at Bragg Memorial Stadium on April 25, 2020, administering nearly 250,000 tests. Given FAMU’s Robinson said a vaccination site on campus would make sense. The FAMU site will help remedy these problems,” said Robinson, who was among FAMU eligible employees and students who received their first vaccination dose in January at the Student Health Center on campus.
Don’t share COVID-19 vaccine card on social media, BBB says
Read full article: Don’t share COVID-19 vaccine card on social media, BBB saysAll rights reserved)Vaccination record cards are shown before residents are inoculated, Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, at the Isles of Vero Beach assisted and independent senior living community in Vero Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)The latest scam has to do with COVID-19 vaccine cards. Vaccination cards have personal information on them like your full name, your birthday and where you got your vaccine. AdScammers have been caught selling fake vaccination cards online in Great Britain. If you want to share the momentous occasion online, you can take a photo of your vaccine sticker or take a selfie at the clinic.
Biden boosting vaccine allotments, financing for virus costs
Read full article: Biden boosting vaccine allotments, financing for virus costsStarting next week, 1 million doses will be distributed to some 6,500 pharmacies across the country, the White House said. The administration is also boosting by 500,000 the weekly allocation of vaccines sent directly to states and territories for the coming weeks, up to 10.5 million. It is allowing state and local governments to receive additional federal dollars to cover previously incurred expenses relating to the pandemic. The number of participating pharmacies and the allocation of vaccines are expected to accelerate as drug makers increase production. The Biden administration has sought to increase certainty to state governments on their upcoming allocations to streamline deliveries and prevent stockpiling of second doses for the two-dose regimens.
Report: Many US nursing home staff decline first COVID shots
Read full article: Report: Many US nursing home staff decline first COVID shotsThe CDC looked at more than 11,000 nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities that had at least one vaccination clinic between the middle of December and the middle of January. Data previously showed that people who work in nursing homes and long-term care facilities get flu vaccines at lower rates than other health-care workers. Surveys suggest that long-term care workers are skeptical the shots work and don't think viruses spread easily from them to the people they care for. The government tasked CVS and Walgreens with administering the shots to long-term care homes in nearly every state. Each vaccine requires two shots a few weeks apart, and CVS and Walgreens say they have wrapped up first-dose clinics in nursing homes.
‘We will be done by the end of the week:’ Long term care facilities will be vaccinated, CEO says
Read full article: ‘We will be done by the end of the week:’ Long term care facilities will be vaccinated, CEO saysTALLAHASSEE, Fla – CEO of CDR Health Tina Vidal-Duart says they will be finished with vaccinating all leftover assisted living facilities in the state of Florida by the end of this week. [TRENDING: Video shows officer slamming student | Man shoots at ex-girlfriend’s current boyfriend 94 times | These men are paying $55M to go to space station]“We started the process with only 10% of assisted living facilities had been vaccinated and as of this morning about 75% of assisted living facilities have been vaccinated,” Vidal-Duart said. However, the company moved so fast that it caused chaos and confusion for some assisted living facilities like Golden Pond in Winter Garden. As for assisted living facilities, we’ve completed all first doses of the vaccine. We are still administering vaccinations in the vast majority of these long-term care facilities, including 189 skilled nursing facilities and over 1,100 assisted living facilities that scheduled their clinics by Jan. 23.
'Little old West Virginia' sets pace on vaccine rollout
Read full article: 'Little old West Virginia' sets pace on vaccine rolloutMore shots have gone into people’s arms per capita across West Virginia than in any other state, with at least 7.4% of the population receiving the first of two shots, according to state data. “Little old West Virginia, that was thought of for hundreds of years, you know, as a place where maybe we were backward or dark or dingy,” Justice said last week. Instead, it turns out that “West Virginia has been the diamond in the rough,” Justice said on CBS’ "Face the Nation" on Sunday. The federal partnership involving both companies would have allowed Washington officials to dictate the terms of nursing home vaccinations, said Marty Wright, the head of the West Virginia Health Care Association, which represents health care companies. The governor wants in-person learning to resume at as many schools as possible by Tuesday, long before teachers will have received their second vaccine doses.
Residents, employees of Melbourne senior-living community get COVID-19 vaccine
Read full article: Residents, employees of Melbourne senior-living community get COVID-19 vaccineMELBOURNE, Fla. – For seniors and employees at The Fountains on Stack Boulevard, the COVID-19 vaccine came to them Wednesday. From 11-5, CVS pharmacists vaccinated 320 people on-site of the senior-living community. The Fountains said none of its residents have caught COVID-19 since the beginning of the Pandemic. Most will get their second vaccine that day, including employee Tony Anthony who received his first shot Wednesday. “I didn’t have to wait in line, didn’t have to make an appointment that may not be there so this is great,” Anthony said.
Florida reports 10,772 new COVID-19 cases as second week of vaccination efforts begins
Read full article: Florida reports 10,772 new COVID-19 cases as second week of vaccination efforts beginsA worker carries a box containing the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for shipping at the McKesson distribution center in Olive Branch, Miss., Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. There are more than 321,000 residents and staff at such facilities across Florida, according to the Agency for Health Care Administration. Florida has been seeing rising COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations during the past few weeks. Editor’s note: Along with the resources previously utilized by News 6 (state and county-by-county data), as of Dec. 7, WKMG has added state data pulled from the Florida Department of Health’s Florida COVID19 State Testing Totals. VaccinationsThe Florida Department of Health recently began releasing a daily report on COVID-19 vaccines administered throughout the state.
Seminole leaders ‘very confident’ they can distribute COVID-19 vaccine quickly, safely
Read full article: Seminole leaders ‘very confident’ they can distribute COVID-19 vaccine quickly, safely(AP Photo/Stephen Dunn,POOL)SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – With Seminole County leaders set to receive a shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday, leaders there said they’re confident that they can distribute the shots in a safe and efficient way. Seminole County Chairman Lee Constantine, Seminole County Fire Department Chief Otto Drozd and Florida Department of Health in Seminole Health Officer Donna Walsh spoke at a news conference Monday afternoon to provide the community with the latest on its distribution plans. Others who are at the front of the line include health department workers, EMTs, paramedics and health care workers. Drozd said the men and women at the Seminole County Fire Department will receive training within the next few days on how to administer the vaccine. “I can tell you the personnel on the strike teams will have to have the vaccine in order to administer the vaccine in the point of dispensing.
California hospitals discuss rationing care as virus surges
Read full article: California hospitals discuss rationing care as virus surgesPlans for rationing care are not in place yet, but they need to be established because “the worst is yet to come,” said Los Angeles County's health services director, Dr. Christina Ghaly. Until then, four hospitals run by Los Angeles County are weighing what to do if they cannot treat everyone because of a shortage of beds or staffers. Some hospitals have canceled non-essential elective surgeries, such as hip replacements, that might take up beds that could soon be needed for COVID-19 patients. Scientists are working to determine whether the strain spreads more easily, said Moncef Slaoui, the chief science adviser for the U.S. government’s COVID-19 vaccine effort. Bill Lee on Sunday announced new social gathering restrictions while still refusing to implement a mask mandate despite pleas from front-line health care workers.
CVS, Walgreens get to work delivering COVID-19 vaccines at long-term care facilities in Florida
Read full article: CVS, Walgreens get to work delivering COVID-19 vaccines at long-term care facilities in Florida“CVS Health expects to complete its long-term care facility vaccination effort in approximately 12 weeks. Ron DeSantis said in a tweet Walgreens began inoculating staff and residents at Jacksonville long-term care facilities on Dec. 18, ahead of schedule. This week, Walgreens will ramp up visits to 800 long-term care facilities in 12 states. Orange County has more than 9,000 individuals and employees in long-term care facilities. Some include memory care facilities with individuals suffering from dementia.
EXPLAINER: What to know about COVID-19 vaccination in the US
Read full article: EXPLAINER: What to know about COVID-19 vaccination in the USDr. Michelle Chester draws the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine into a syringe at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Monday, Dec. 14, 2020, in the Queens borough of New York. Even with vaccination, you'll still need to take precautions, like wearing a mask and social distancing, health officials say. Once doses are widely available, people should be able to use an existing government website, www.vaccinefinder.org, to find COVID-19 shots. The panel also suggests avoiding getting other vaccinations for two weeks before and after a COVID-19 shot. COVID-19 vaccines can’t be mixed and matched, so if a second dose is needed, providers will be checking to make sure you get the right one.
Orange County could use your help administering COVID-19 vaccine
Read full article: Orange County could use your help administering COVID-19 vaccineLocally, officials in Orange County say, if allowed, they’re willing and able to help speed up the vaccinations of those residents. “What I can tell you is that Orange County is ready. And we have expressed our desire.”Pino said he expects the vaccine to arrive in Orange County between Dec. 14 and Dec. 20. If you have the ability and the time, we may need your help to quickly vaccinate all our county,” Pino said. We anticipate perhaps only into the 10s of 1,000s, maybe low 10s of 1000s to really come to Orange County on that first wave,” Banks said.
Gov. DeSantis hopes all long-term residents will have access to vaccine by end of year
Read full article: Gov. DeSantis hopes all long-term residents will have access to vaccine by end of yearRon DeSantis said that he expects all residents of the state’s long-term care facilities to have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the month. “We are prioritizing long-term care residents and staff and then the tip of the sphere healthcare workers. As we get past that, that we think we can do with the first couple weeks of doses that were allocated,” DeSantis said. DeSantis said he expects more vaccines to be sent to Florida as more are approved by the FDA. Both CVS and Walgreens also said on Tuesday that they are preparing to administer vaccines to more than 70,000 long-term care facilities across the country.
Amazon opens online pharmacy, shaking up another industry
Read full article: Amazon opens online pharmacy, shaking up another industryThe retail colossus opened an online pharmacy Tuesday that allows customers to order medication or prescription refills, and have them delivered to their front door in a couple of days. All have upped online services and touted their abilities to deliver prescriptions and other goods as the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed more consumers to stay home. The company said its online pharmacy will offer commonly prescribed medications in the U.S., including creams, pills, as well as medications that need to stay refrigerated, like insulin. They can also get discounts at 50,000 physical pharmacies around the country at Costco, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and other stores. Two years ago, it spent $750 million to buy online pharmacy PillPack, which organizes medication in packets by what time and day they need to be taken.
CVS to hire 15,000 workers ahead of flu season
Read full article: CVS to hire 15,000 workers ahead of flu seasonTuesday is Pharmacy Technician Day and if you’re a licensed pharmacy tech looking for work, CVS Health is hiring 10,000 ahead of flu season. The company needs help administering COVID-19 tests and flu shots. An expanded scope of practice allows trained pharmacy techs to administer COVID-19 vaccinations, as long as they’re under the supervision of an immunization-certified pharmacist. CVS is also recruiting several thousand work-from-home customer service rep positions. If you’re interested, you can apply online and take an online virtual job tryout.
Feds planning now to get coronavirus shots to nursing homes
Read full article: Feds planning now to get coronavirus shots to nursing homesUnder the voluntary program, trained staff from CVS and Walgreens would deliver the vaccines to each nursing home and administer shots. The nation has 15,000-16,000 nursing homes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The use of retail chain pharmacies has prompted some concerns, because nursing homes typically deal with specialized pharmacies and not the big drugstores catering to consumers. Mango said the plan would accommodate nursing homes that want to continue to work with specialized pharmacies. HHS Secretary Alex Azar said the program will “provide convenient and free vaccination to residents of nursing homes across America.”
Hawaii to allow travelers to skip quarantine with virus test
Read full article: Hawaii to allow travelers to skip quarantine with virus testDavid Ige said Wednesday that starting Oct. 15, travelers arriving from out of state may bypass a 14-day quarantine requirement if they test negative for COVID-19. Travelers will have to take the test within 72 hours before their flight arrives in the islands. Earlier this year Ige planned to start a pre-travel testing program on Aug. 1 only to have to postpone it as COVID-19 cases spiked on the U.S. mainland and in Hawaii. Hawaii leaders are hopeful that pre-travel testing will encourage people to return to a Hawaii in a way that keeps residents safe. “I want to emphasize that this pre-travel testing will allow us to add a greater element of safety for travel into our state,” Ige said at a news conference.
Judge rejects pharmacy chains' bid to toss opioid suits
Read full article: Judge rejects pharmacy chains' bid to toss opioid suits(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)CLEVELAND Lawsuits filed by two Ohio counties against retail pharmacy chains claiming their opioid dispensing practices flooded communities with pain pills and were a a public nuisance can continue, a federal judge in Cleveland has determined. U.S. District Judge Dan Polster rejected the pharmacy chains' motion to dismiss the suits, ruling Thursday that the Ohio law does indeed apply to Lake and Trumbull counties' nuisance claims. Polster is overseeing more than 2,000 lawsuits filed by local governments, tribal authorities and others against companies they blame for fueling an opioid epidemic that has killed 430,000 people since 2000. The two northeast Ohio counties' lawsuits against CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart and Giant Eagle were the first to target retail pharmacy chains as both distributors and dispensers of painkillers. Those claims seek damages from the retail chains as distributors of painkillers but not as dispensers.
Employee at Orlando CVS distribution center tests positive for COVID-19
Read full article: Employee at Orlando CVS distribution center tests positive for COVID-19ORLANDO, Fla. An employee at the Orlando Distribution Center for CVS tested positive for COVID-19, according to a news release. CVS officials said the areas the employee was in while at work were cleaned and disinfected. Coworkers exposed to the employee and the employee were placed under a 14-day quarantine and will be on paid leave, according to CVS. CVS said all areas of the building are now open again.
CVS to require masks for all shoppers
Read full article: CVS to require masks for all shoppersCVS announced Thursday that it would be instituting a face-covering policy at all of its locations. Starting Monday all shoppers will be required to wear a face-covering while inside the store. CVS joins stores like Kroger, Kohls, Best Buy, Sams Club and Starbucks. This includes requiring that store employees wear face coverings and encouraging our customers to do so as well. In any community with state or local laws mandating the use of face coverings, weve made that very clear through signage and other reminders, Roberts explained.
CVS opens new COVID-19 testing sites in Central Florida
Read full article: CVS opens new COVID-19 testing sites in Central FloridaCVS Pharmacy announced Thursday that COVID-19 testing sites would be coming to 38 of its Florida locations, two of which opened locally in Central Florida. The opening of these new sites reflects the companys commitment to meeting ongoing demand for testing, as well as expanding testing capacity to respond to a surge in new COVID-19 cases, officials with CVS said in a news release. CVS sends test samples to an independent, third-party lab for processing, and the results are available in approximately three days. The CVS locations opened Thursday in Central Florida include:CVS Pharmacy, 5010 South Florida Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33813CVS Pharmacy, 3212 Curry Ford Road, Orlando, FL 32806A complete list of CVS Pharmacy drive-thru test sites can be found here. To keep up with the latest news on the pandemic, subscribe to News 6s coronavirus newsletter or go to ClickOrlando.com/coronavirus.
Arizona governor facing pressure to act as virus cases surge
Read full article: Arizona governor facing pressure to act as virus cases surgeThe Arizona Department of Health Services posted on its website Monday another 1,104 cases of COVID-19 and eight additional deaths, bringing the statewide total number of coronavirus cases to 36,705 and related deaths to 1,194. Doug Ducey to take steps like requiring masks in public to slow a major increase in new coronavirus cases that has made the state a national hot spot. Arizona hospitals were treating a record number of coronavirus patients Tuesday amid a surge of new cases. The state's Health Services Department reported a record number of emergency room visits for the virus as well. #MaskUpAZ.During a news briefing last week where he pushed back on questions about a mask mandate, the governor insisted that the state's hospitals, while filling up, had the capacity to treat any expected surge in virus patients.
CVS announces 10 new COVID-19 test sites throughout Florida
Read full article: CVS announces 10 new COVID-19 test sites throughout FloridaAs coronavirus cases continue to rise in the Sunshine State, CVS Health announced Thursday that it would be opening 10 coronavirus test sites throughout the State. These new sites will utilize self-swab tests and mark the next phase of the company’s nationwide COVID-19 testing strategy, a news release said. [CORONAVIRUS BRIEFING: Daily ClickOrlando.com newsletter delivered to your inbox]The 10 test sites are part of the first rollout of new sites, which includes 51 locations in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. The new testing sites in Florida include:CVS Pharmacy, 1000 East Tarpon Avenue, Tarpon Springs, FL 34689CVS Pharmacy, 2322 Land O Lakes Boulevard, Lutz, FL 33549CVS Pharmacy, 2400 Enterprise Road, Orange City, FL 32763CVS Pharmacy, 221 South S.R. CVS Pharmacy, HealthHUB and MinuteClinic will continue to serve customers and patients, officials added.
Drones to begin delivering prescription medications to residents in The Villages
Read full article: Drones to begin delivering prescription medications to residents in The VillagesTHE VILLAGES, Fla. – Beginning in May, CVS pharmacies and UPS will partner to use drones to deliver prescription medications to residents living in The Villages, according to a news release. UPS made the announcement Tuesday, saying the service will use Matternet’s M2 drone system to bring prescriptions filled by CVS pharmacies to the more than 135,000 residents living in the area. The drone deliveries will comply with all FAA guidelines, according to a news release. The operation could expand to include deliveries from two additional CVS pharmacies in the area, according to a news release. “Initially, a ground vehicle will complete the delivery to the resident’s door.”The companies successfully completed their first drone deliveries in November 2019, delivering prescriptions from a CVS pharmacy to residents in Cary, N.C., officials said.
CVS Health sinus nasal spray recalled due to bacterial contamination
Read full article: CVS Health sinus nasal spray recalled due to bacterial contaminationThe FDA announced a voluntary recall of a sinus nasal spray from CVS due to possible microbiological contamination. The product recalled is CVS Health 12 Hour Sinus Relief Nasal Mist. The FDA said the following in a press release:Repetitive use of a nasal spray containing a gram-negative pathogen can potentially lead to colonization and subsequent infection which can be life-threatening in certain patient populations, such as those with cystic fibrosis or immuno-compromised. The affected CVS Health 12 Hour Sinus Relief Nasal Mist lot is lot number 173089J, EXP 09/19. The product can be identified by a white nasal spray bottle and an orange label with Sinus Relief stated in white with CVS Health on top left.