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Ingles Markets steps up COVID-19 vaccination push

Regional grocer offers vaccine clinics for underserved communities and paid time off for workers to get their shots

Russell Redman

April 23, 2021

3 Min Read
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Ingles Markets has been holding community COVID-19 vaccine events as well as on-site vaccination clinics for employees.Ingles Markets

Over the past week or so, Ingles Markets has expanded efforts to provide COVID-19 vaccines to the communities it serves, as well as to employees.

Asheville, N.C.-based Ingles said yesterday that it has partnered with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to provide coronavirus shots to the Belton, S.C., community. Plans called for Ingles pharmacists to vaccinate those eligible in a clinic from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 24, at the Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Belton.

“Working with DHEC and the NAACP allows us to expand South Carolinians’ access to the COVID-19 vaccine,” Ingles Chief Financial Officer Ron Freeman said in a statement. “We know every vaccine our teams administer provides aid to the community as we move closer to herd immunity.”

The Ingles/NAACP clinic will help get as many South Carolinians vaccinated as soon as possible and reach areas with limited access to health services, according to Dr. Linda Bell, the South Carolina DHEC’s top epidemiologist.

“This event is so important because it speaks to many of the things we're trying to accomplish,” Bell explained. “It satisfies our need to reach the rural, underserved areas of our state. And by partnering with the NAACP and Ingles, we reinforce the importance and benefits these vaccinations can have in the African-American community that has suffered a disproportionate share of COVID-19 illnesses and deaths. We encourage everyone to roll up their sleeve on Saturday and get that life-saving dose of protection.”

Related:Grocery worker COVID-19 infections, deaths rise: UFCW report

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All 111 Ingles pharmacy locations are now administering COVID shots across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee.

Last week, Ingles announced initiatives to drive COVID immunizations among employees. The company began on-site vaccination clinics for its frontline distribution center workers and office associates. Besides widening access to the vaccine and providing a convenient way to receive it, the clinics give employees time to asks Ingles pharmacists questions about the shots. Ingles also has hosted COVID vaccination clinics at its corporate headquarters and distribution center in Black Mountain, N.C.

“Throughout the pandemic, protecting our frontline associates and our customers has been our top priority,” Freeman commented. “Promoting vaccinations within our company not only protects our associates, but protects our customers and communities.”

A couple of days before the latest employee clinics, Ingles announced that it would provide workers with paid time to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Full-time associates get 10 hours of paid time and part-time associates five hours of paid time once they have received full doses of the vaccine.

Related:Publix now offers COVID-19 vaccinations across its market area

Ingles reported April 14 that all 111 of its pharmacy locations are now providing COVID shots to customers across North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee, where people ages 16 and older are eligible to receive the vaccine.

“We are proud to say we can play a role in turning the tide on this pandemic by offering vaccines to our patients at all of our pharmacy locations,” Freeman stated.

Ingles received its first COVID-19 vaccine allocation in December, and the retailer said its pharmacy department has been working with federal and state governments to bring shot to more communities. Overall, the chain operates 198 supermarkets in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and Alabama.

“Our pharmacists offer unparalleled healthcare, routine vaccines and clinical counseling services to our patients every day,” said Freeman. “We are grateful they can look to us for their COVID-19 vaccination needs as well.”

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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