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Feds Unveil Coronavirus Vaccine Distribution Plan For Nursing Homes

On Friday, federal health officials unveiled a plan to get coronavirus vaccines to nursing home residents. Once a vaccine is approved and available, the distribution effort will involve two national pharmacy chains.

The distribution program is contingent on the Food and Drug Administration authorizing a vaccine, which doesn’t appear to be imminent.

Still, under the voluntary program, trained staff from CVS and Walgreens would deliver the vaccines to nursing homes and administer the shots.

Assisted-living facilities and residential group homes can also participate.

Leading Age, the national association of nonprofit providers, called the news “heartening” in a statement. There are several nursing homes in Arizona that are Leading Age members.

KJZZ senior field correspondent Kathy Ritchie has 20 years of experience reporting and writing stories for national and local media outlets — nearly a decade of it has been spent in public media.