DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens president John Standley issued the following memo on Friday regarding  how the company is supporting communities during the COVID-19 pandemic:

John Standley

“As the nation confronts a rising surge in COVID-19 cases, many Americans are faced with fear and uncertainty.

But there is one thing you can remain certain of — Walgreens will continue to serve as a safe destination for the essential products, services and medicines you need.

We have a long legacy of standing by your side during times of crisis and that’s a role we take very seriously. Since the onset of the pandemic, Walgreens has rolled out a number of solutions to provide and increase availability of COVID-19 tests, support safe access to medicines and products, protect communities by providing flu vaccinations and serve as a trusted source of information and support.

As we move closer to having COVID-19 vaccines available, know that you will be able to count on us, as you have for so many other needs during the pandemic. Vaccines are one of the best ways to protect yourself and others against disease and illness and will be critical to helping the world emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are working closely with the Federal Government’s Operation Warp Speed, as well as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department Health and Human Services, and state and local governments to support access to COVID-19 vaccines, once approved. The Federal government, working with the states, is prioritizing high-risk populations for initial distribution, with plans to expand access to the general population through our more than 9,000 stores in 2021. We will continue to share more about COVID-19 vaccines and information on our website.

In the meantime, it’s important to stay safe and continue to practice social distancing, wear a mask and wash your hands. In addition to our safe store environment, you can use many of the tools we provide on Walgreens.com and our mobile app to get the products and services you need — like online ordering, delivery services for products and medicines, contactless check out, and drive-thru and curbside pick-up in as little as 30 minutes.

Walgreens role as part of your community has never been more critical or clear. We couldn’t be prouder of our pharmacists, technicians and store team members for their steadfast commitment to supporting the health and well-being of our customers during the pandemic. While we’re still facing some challenging days ahead, we are encouraged to see positive progress being made with COVID-19 vaccines and remain committed to supporting our customers and team members every step of the way.”