ALEXANDRIA, Va.  — The National Community Pharmacists Association issued the following statement from CEO B. Douglas Hoey, pharmacist, MBA, after theNational Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness was released by the Biden administration:

B. Douglas Hoey

“Small business neighborhood pharmacy has been engaged in the fight against the coronavirus from the start, jumping to action and installing plexiglass barriers, upping their delivery services, starting curbside pick-up, compounding hand sanitizer, and offering testing and, when possible, the COVID-19 vaccines. Similarly, the Biden administration is jumping quickly to work to join the battle, continue getting vaccines into people’s arms, and provide relief.

“We’ve shared with the administration how, when engaged by local health departments, community pharmacies are successfully battling the COVID-19 disease. As demonstrated in the success of vaccine rollout plans in places like West Virginia, Arkansas and Alaska, small business independent pharmacies must be included in COVID-19 immunization strategies, whether federal or local, if those plans are to be realized.

“We are eager to work with the new administration on these and other important initiatives, and applaud its efforts thus far. NCPA and the more than 21,000 independent pharmacies stand ready to assist.”

An August 2020 survey of NCPA members found that 86 percent of community pharmacists say they plan to offer the COVID-19 vaccines when they hit the marketplace. A large majority of community pharmacists already provide vaccinations for other illnesses. Most of those administer to patients at locations beyond their stores such as at local businesses, long-term care facilities, community centers, places of worship, schools, factories, and prisons.