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Stop & Shop rolls out COVID-19 antivirals to N.Y. pharmacies

Pfizer’s Paxlovid, Merck’s Molnupiravir available free to eligible infected patients via prescription

Russell Redman

April 8, 2022

3 Min Read
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Because the COVID antivirals are for people with the virus, Stop & Shop is urging patients to send a family member or friend to pick up the prescription or use curbside pickup.Stop & Shop

Stop & Shop has begun offering the two Food and Drug Administration-authorized COVID-19 antiviral medicines, Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Merck’s Molnupiravir, at its 55 New York pharmacies.

Quincy, Mass.-based Stop & Shop said yesterday that the antiviral oral medications will be provided at no cost with a valid prescription from a health care provider. Availability will vary by store.

Both antivirals are indicated for the treatment of COVID-19 in people who are at higher risk of developing more severe outcomes of the disease. Because the drugs are prescribed to people infected with the virus, Stop & Shop is urging patients to stay home and send a family member or friend to pick up the prescription. Store associates also will be on hand to deliver the prescription to customers’ vehicles via curbside delivery in the parking lot.

Molnupiravir can be prescribed only to adults, while Paxlovid is authorized for use by adults and children ages 12 and older weighing at least 88 pounds. The FDA noted that both antivirals are intended to reduce the risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 and aren’t a substitute for COVID-19 vaccinations.

Also on Thursday, Stop & Shop said its pharmacists are now authorized to administer second COVID-19 booster shots to eligible patients as per the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On March 29, the FDA and the CDC gave the green light to second-round boosters of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines to certain population groups, including those ages 50 and older and selected immunocompromised individuals.

Related:Albertsons pharmacies roll out second COVID booster shots

“As the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved over the past two years, Stop & Shop Pharmacy has provided our customers and communities with convenient and safe ways to protect their families and loved ones,” Katie Thornell, director of pharmacy operations at Stop & Shop, said in a statement. “By now offering COVID-19 antivirals, as well as second boosters to eligible customers, we look forward to helping more community members defend themselves and their families against COVID-19 and its evolving variants.”

Stop & Shop added that it has partnered with the Biden administration to distribute over-the-counter, self-administered rapid COVID-19 tests to eligible Medicare Part B recipients at no cost via its 234 pharmacies across its Northeastern market area. To receive an at-home test kit, customers need to bring their red-white-and-blue Medicare Part B cards to their local Stop & Shop pharmacy. Part B recipients can receive up to eight free rapid tests per calendar month.

Related:Walmart to offer COVID-19 antiviral prescriptions

In December, Stop & Shop began providing Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 5 to 11 at selected pharmacies across the Northeast. All adults can receive a Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine booster shot at any of the grocer’s pharmacies, with availability depending on location.

Part of Ahold Delhaize USA, Stop & Shop operates more than 400 supermarkets overall in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey.

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Ahold Delhaize USA

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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