WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health said Wednesday that it will make the coronavirus vaccine available for eligible residents in 20 additional retail pharmacy locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island effective immediately through its federal partnership.
Matt Blanchette, a spokesman for the Woonsocket-based company, told the Globe Wednesday that shots will be available at three more clinics in Rhode Island and 17 Massachusetts locations in Middlesex, Barnstable, Bristol, Essex, Hampden, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester counties. Blanchette said approximately 3,500 additional weekly doses will be sent to Rhode Island and 21,000 additional weekly doses will be sent to Massachusetts through this program.
CVS already was offering the shots at 30 stores in Massachusetts and 11 stores in Rhode Island.
The spokesman said the chain is not providing exact locations publicly. Consumers can go online to schedule an appointment and determine whether there’s a site near them. Additional slots have been made available Wednesday for appointments to begin Thursday.
In addition to expanding vaccine access in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, CVS announced Wednesday it would expand COVID-19 vaccinations on Thursday to pharmacies in Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia. This expansion would make approximately 570,000 doses available to residents across 17 states.
“Feedback on every aspect of the vaccination process has been incredibly positive, from the digital experience to interacting with our team of health care professionals,” Karen S. Lynch, chief executive of CVS Health, said in a statement. “We’re also making significant progress in reaching vulnerable communities, which will continue to be an essential part of our vaccination effort.”
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.