Martin’s Pharmacy Doing Its Part to Vaccinate Pulaski County

Martin’s Pharmacy pharmacist, Candice Shay, administers the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to a client at the Pulaski location.   The Pfizer vaccine is available at Martin’s in Pulaski and the Moderna vaccine is available at Martin’s Pharmacy in Dublin.

By DANIELLE REID

The Patriot

Since August 2020, Candice Shay, one of the pharmacists at Martin’s Pharmacy in Pulaski, has been working with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and our local Virginia Department of Health organizations to get the COVID-19 vaccines into our community.

“We’ve had a great response so far and have administered over 7,000 vaccines since January 2021,” said Shay.  “Martin’s Pharmacy has vaccinated over 50 percent of Pulaski County eligible residents and we have programs to help more people get vaccinated.”

Now that the Commonwealth of Virginia has started Phase 2 in which the COVID-19 vaccine is being offered to individuals from age 16 and up, Martin’s will be going into the high schools this week to vaccinate students who have their parents’ approval.

Recently, vaccine approval forms were sent home with New River Valley students for parents’ signature.  Those students who have parental permission can receive their first vaccine at school starting at Radford High School on Wednesday.  Vaccines will be administered at Eastmont, Auburn and Blacksburg high schools on Thursday.   On Friday morning from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. the vaccines will be given at PCHS; and from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Christiansburg High School.

Shay says that Martin’s will schedule follow-up dates for the students to receive their second vaccine.  For the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the second shot will be given 21 days after the first shot; and for Moderna, the second shot will be administered 28 days after the first shot.

Parents who did not receive a student permission form can request one from the school.  Also, Martin’s Pharmacy can email the form to the parent upon request.  For students aged 16 to 17, parental permission is required.  For students over 18, they can use their own discretion as to whether they want to get the vaccine.

Additionally, individuals over the age of 18 can go to Martin’s Pharmacy website and self-schedule their COVID Vaccine, choosing their most convenient day and time.   The Pulaski location of Martin’s Pharmacy is offering the Pfizer vaccine and the Dublin location is offering the Moderna vaccine.

“For those individuals who are homebound or don’t use technology, they can call us at Martin’s Pharmacy, and we will make a home visit to administer the vaccine,” offered Shay.

To self-schedule a COVID-19 vaccine, go to https://www.martinsrx.com/

click on “Click Here to Schedule Vaccine” and choose their preferred day and time.