Tops Markets tops 40,000 COVID-19 vaccinations at its pharmacies

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. — Tops Friendly Markets announced Monday it has administered more than 40,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to date at its 51 in-store pharmacies across upstate New York.

Tops since January has provided the Moderna vaccine to anyone who met the state qualifications for a vaccination appointment.

“We hit the ground running as soon as we learned that we had an earlier opportunity to be part of the solution against the pandemic,” Matthew Hamed, Tops director of pharmacy, said in a release. “We had to prepare our pharmacies to properly administer and store the vaccines, while setting up scheduling software in order to effectively and efficiently roll out vaccine clinics at our stores.

The vaccine rollout brought challenges ranging from the initial high demand and low supply to constantly changing eligibility requirements, the supermarket chain said.

“It seemed that each day was met with new information from the state or federal government that we had to ensure that not only our associates had to be up to speed on, but our customers as well,” said Kristen Hanson, Tops VP of center store, our brands, and pharmacy. “The entire team has been working so diligently these past several months and have been so passionate about getting shots in arms …”

Vaccine appointments are available at Tops pharmacies for those 18 years of age and older. The Moderna vaccine is not yet authorized for those who are under 18. More information is available at: www.Topsmarkets.com/COVID19.