The Kroger Co, the parent company to Smith’s Food & Drug Stores, has announced that it will partner with state health departments and the federal government to provide access to the FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine locally and across the nation, aligned with the federal roll-out plan.
Kroger’s widespread presence in local communities gives the grocery stores the unique ability to efficiently administer the vaccine to a large portion of the population, according to company officials.
“At Smith’s we are committed to helping people live healthier lives. We have been diligent in doing our part in the community to stop the spread of the virus, including partnering with city and county health departments to provide vaccinations in addition to free drive-through COVID-19 testing,” said Aubriana Martindale, Smith’s corporate affairs manager.
Recently, Smith’s became the nation’s first retailer to offer rapid antibody tests to customers in all Smith’s pharmacies for just $25. Rapid antibody testing helps inform patients if they previously have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and results are typically ready in around 15 minutes.
