Even With King Soopers, Walmart Added To Vaccine List, It's Still Tough To Get An Appointment

DENVER (CBS4)- The COVID-19 vaccine program is picking up steam with vaccine going directly to
pharmacies, like King Soopers and Walmart, without cutting into the allocation to states. But it is still tough to get appointments for the shots.

Clyde Mancuso of Centennial is trying to get a COVID vaccination for his wife.

"Very unsuccessful last night trying to get scheduled for anything," he said.

It should be getting easier. King Soopers is now one of the businesses getting the Moderna vaccine directly from the government through the Federal Retail Pharmacy program.

But when Mancuso went online to make an appointment what he got was "sorry there are no available time slots at this location. Try another."

"I did that at 12-15 King Soopers locations, and it was all the same, it said no vaccine available," Mancusco said.

The chain is now offering vaccinations at 137 of its 147 stores in Colorado, including City Markets.

Michelle Izor, King Soopers director of Pharmacies, told CBS4's Rick Sallinger, "I do say appointments fill up very quickly based on the number of doses we get per location."

It's not just King Soopers, Walgreens told CBS4 it has limited stores offering the vaccinations now and appointments are tight.

It was big news when Walmart announced it would be offering COVID vaccinations, but not yet and Safeway... again good luck getting an appointment.

So, Clyde signed his wife up through a health care provider.

"With Kaiser I did find out with a virtual line and her number is number 47,000 something."

He acknowledged at least it's a good thing she doesn't have to stand in line.

Right now in Colorado, health care workers, those 65 years and up, K-12 education and child care workers are eligible to receive the COVID vaccine.

LINKS: King Soopers | City Market | Walmart | Sam's Club