NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson issued the following statement following President Joe Biden’s announcement today of the “National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness”:
“President Biden’s plan demonstrates action in critical areas that are essential for getting safe and effective vaccines to Americans’ arms, efficiently and equitably. Among its proactive steps, NACDS appreciates that the Administration will activate the Federal Pharmacy Partnership Program in the next two weeks. NACDS also appreciates the focus on ensuring a data-driven response to COVID-19 and to future public health threats – a vision on which NACDS members can add considerable value.
“President Biden’s plan also includes important progress in the areas of COVID-19 testing expansion, COVID-19 reimbursement and coverage, and enhancing the scope of practice of pharmacists and other healthcare professionals – all of which are vital to helping America overcome this pandemic and prepare for future threats.
“The establishment of a health equity task force focused on enhancing vaccine confidence also is a crucial step. Pharmacies, pharmacists and pharmacy teams are local and highly trusted – and can help to engage in the conversations that are essential to vaccine confidence, across races and ethnicities, and in rural and urban settings.
“NACDS represents national and regional chain pharmacies, which operate between four and 10,000 stores in the traditional drug, grocery and mass retail settings. By virtue of their extensive experience collaborating with public health, pharmacies also are key to standing up mass clinics and mobile clinics. We all know that vaccine supplies remain the rate-limiting step at this time, yet pharmacies can meet the demand for 100 million vaccinations in one month assuming such supplies are available. There is a pharmacy within five miles of 90 percent of Americans, and pharmacies are committed to going the extra miles, too, to help vaccinate all Americans. We look forward to continuing to work with the Biden Administration in this important work of protecting Americans and their livelihoods, overcoming the pandemic, and returning us all to what we need and love.”
NACDS previously issued a statement commenting on then-President-elect Biden’s January 15 remarks about COVID-19 vaccinations.
