FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday a partnership with Kroger that will provide the COVID-19 vaccine throughout Kentucky starting February 1, by setting up regional mass-vaccination distribution sites.
"This is going to open up the opportunity at these facilities starting the week of February 1, for everyone who falls into those categories," Gov. Andy Beshear said. "It is exciting."
Beshear said sign-ups will not be limited to residents of the county where the regional sites are established, adding that there will be a "sufficient enough number" of sites that everyone in the state "could reasonably drive to one."
"As we speak we are working to get sites evaluated and secured and well be releasing more information in the coming weeks," Jim Gray, vaccine distribution director for Kentucky, said. "While were doing our best to make getting your vaccine as simple and seamless as possible, this is going to take some time and our system relies on the speed of the vaccine manufacturers and releases from the federal government."
Kroger will announce the location and scheduling details for its first mass drive thru clinics Jan. 28, planning to vaccinate any person in Phase 1 (A, B or C) of Kentucky's vaccine distribution plan. Once more vaccines are available, Kroger said more sites and appointments will be made available across the state.
"As one of the most-accessible health care partners in the U.S., Kroger is prepared and ready to play an active role in helping distribute the vaccine in collaboration with the state of Kentucky," said Ann Reed, president of Kroger's Louisville division.
Kroger has 101 pharmacies and 43 Little Clinic locations across Kentucky. Anyone interested in signing up for a COVID-19 vaccine can visit kycovid19.ky.gov. Kroger will also provide more information on its efforts on its website.
The partnership is part of a nationwide effort to provide the vaccine at Kroger locations. Previously, Kroger became the first retailer to offer rapid antibody tests to customers at Kroger pharmacies and The Little Clinics. Information on testing can be found here.
"We will have a system that is scalable so that as we get more vaccine we can deploy it almost instantly so you know how to get it and we can give it as fast as it arrives," Kentucky Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack, said.
The state said there will also be a registration website for vaccination appointments, as well as a hotline to check your eligibility, that will be active starting Jan. 28.
For those who fall into Phase 1C, which includes anyone over 60, those with high-risk conditions, and all essential workers, Thursday's announcement was an unexpected surprise.
"This is a huge gift, I feel like we've been given," Louisville resident Patti Nalley said. "Winter came and it was very depressing and I felt much more isolated thinking that it would end up being the end of March if not April before we got vaccinated."
Nalley is 65 years old with Type 2 Diabetes and said the pandemic has kept her from seeing family and friends, as well as retirement celebrations for she and her husband.
"We did not have normal holidays. We have five children, we have 9 grandchildren, and we did drop offs with Christmas gifts and we really have not been able to do any social gatherings," Nalley said. "We're very much looking forward to being able to travel, spend the night in a hotel, eat in a restaurant."
So "excited" for the day she can get vaccinated, Nalley said she also made shirts for the occasion.
"My husband and I are both excited because he has health conditions," Bardstown resident Dawn Broker said.
Broker, like Nalley, falls into the 1C phase, as an essential worker.
"Since this whole thing started, we've pretty much gone to work and that's it. We do groceries online, we do the pickup, we don't go anywhere," she said. "I haven't seen most of my family since last march."
Broker said with family members having experienced COVID-19, and other family members at high-risk for COVID-19 related illness, she can't wait to get the vaccine.
"We just want to have some type of protection and move into some normal life again," Broker said. "It's definitely a light at the end of the tunnel."
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