Federal Direction Requires Prioritization of All K-12 and Child Care Teachers and Personnel for COVID-19 Vaccine

Publix to administer Johnson & Johnson COVID‑19 vaccine beginning Saturday

LAKELAND, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At the direction of the federal government, retailers participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program must prioritize the following individuals for vaccine appointments until further notice:

• teachers, school staff and child care workers who work in pre-primary, primary and secondary schools, as well as Head Start and Early Head Start programs (including teachers, staff and bus drivers) and
• those who work as or for licensed child care providers, including center-based and family care providers.

Publix will follow this new directive during its next COVID‑19 vaccine scheduling opportunity in Florida, Wednesday, March 10.

After those in the prioritized group are finished making appointments, any remaining appointments will be available to other eligible individuals.

Johnson & Johnson vaccine

Publix Pharmacy has received its first shipment of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID‑19 vaccine. With this distribution, Publix will begin administering both the Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines in its Florida pharmacies. To allow eligible individuals to choose which vaccine they will receive, starting March 10, every Wednesday scheduling opportunity will be dedicated exclusively for appointments to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Eligibility

In accordance with state and federal requirements, the following groups are currently eligible to receive vaccinations: all K‑12 and child care teachers and personnel (the prioritized group referenced earlier); adults under the age of 65 who are determined to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 by a physician (a completed state of Florida form signed by a physician is required); 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.

Appointments

Vaccinations are provided by appointment only, while supplies last, through the online reservation system at publix.com/covidvaccine. Appointments cannot be made by calling Publix or the Publix Pharmacy.

The online reservation system will open Wednesday, March 10, at 7 a.m. Eastern time for any individual who meets state and federal requirements, with priority given to school and child care teachers and personnel as directed by the federal government. Appointments made on Wednesday March 10, will be to receive the Johnson & Johnson COVID‑19 vaccine on either Saturday, March 13, or Sunday, March 14.

Moving forward, eligible individuals can plan to access the online reservation system to make appointments as follows, as long as Publix continues to receive vaccine doses from the state and federal governments and barring unforeseen circumstances. Appointments may not be available in every county during every scheduling opportunity:

Scheduling opportunity	Appointment days	Vaccine provided
Monday	Wednesday ­– Friday	Moderna
Wednesday	Saturday – Sunday	Johnson & Johnson
Friday	Monday – Tuesday	Moderna

Customers with appointments for their second dose of the Moderna vaccine are not impacted by any variations in scheduling opportunities and should arrive at the COVID-19 vaccine check-in area at their scheduled date and time.

Required documentation

Adults under the age of 65 who rely on the state’s criteria of being extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 to be eligible are required to provide the completed official state form that can be found at the Florida Department of Health website and must be signed by a physician.

Locations

Publix administers the vaccines in all 43 Florida counties with Publix Pharmacy locations. Publix pharmacies have also administered the COVID‑19 vaccine to eligible individuals in select Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia locations. The company continues to communicate with the states in its operating area to provide COVID‑19 vaccinations as part of their distribution efforts.

Costs and insurance

Vaccinations are provided to eligible individuals, by appointment only, while supplies last, and at no cost to the individual. Customers with health insurance will need to bring their insurance card to their scheduled appointment. Medicare members should bring their red, white and blue Medicare Part B card. Customers without health insurance will need to provide their driver’s license or Social Security number.

The most up-to-date information about Publix’s COVID‑19 vaccination efforts can be found at publix.com/covidvaccine.

Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the U.S. with more than 225,000 associates, currently operates 1,267 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. For 23 consecutive years, the company has been recognized by Fortune as a great place to work. In addition, Publix’s dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized among the top in the grocery business. For more information, visit the company’s website, corporate.publix.com.