CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The new COVID-19 vaccine, designed to protect against the most recent strain of the virus, has hit the shelves across the United States.
But some pharmacies told WCNC Charlotte that it hasn't been the easiest to get.
Thursday was a busy day at Walker's Drug Store in Cotswold. Pharmacist Alex Yawny is expecting it to get even busier.
"We do have a few more appointments for today," Yawny said. "I’m sure we will get at least 10 call-ins.”
In the last two weeks, the new COVID-19 vaccine dropped and the demand was immediate.
“We haven’t given COVID-19 shots for at least a month before this," Yawny said. "It’s definitely popular for sure. We are doing our best to keep it in but it’s flying.”
Yawny said getting the vaccine has been difficult this time around. Before, the federal government supplied the vaccine at no cost to pharmacies. Now, it's distributed commercially like other medications.
WCNC Charlotte obtained a photo from a CVS Pharmacy in Midtown. It highlighted the shortage of supply. WCNC Charlotte also checked a few CVS Pharmacies about vaccine availability. Many of these pharmacies were also experiencing shortages, while others said there were appointments.
CVS Pharmacy sent WCNC Charlotte a statement:
We’re receiving updated COVID-19 vaccines on a rolling basis but are experiencing delivery delays from our wholesalers. To determine if a specific location has vaccine and appointments available, customers can utilize our digital scheduler at CVS.com and the CVS Pharmacy app which shows real-time availability. We only offer the approved and CDC recommended COVID-19 vaccines.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.