CVS, Walgreens Announce Weekend Closures as Omicron Instances Soar

CVS and Walgreens, two of the largest pharmacy chains in the US, are quickly closing some shops this weekend due to workers shortages sophisticated by the hovering variety of individuals contaminated with the Omicron variant.

Mike DeAngelis, a spokesman for CVS, stated the “overwhelming majority” of shops have been working with regular hours this weekend. There are greater than 9,900 CVS shops throughout the US.

“A tiny fraction of shops are quickly closed on one or each days of the weekend to assist handle acute staffing points amidst each the Omicron surge and the workforce scarcity affecting almost each trade and firm,” Mr. DeAngelis stated in an e-mail.

Rebekah Pajak, a spokeswoman for Walgreens, stated closures have been at a “small share” of the corporate’s greater than 9,000 shops and typically, the affected shops could be open at the least one weekend day.

“When making the tough resolution to regulate retailer hours, we make each effort to attenuate disruption for our clients,” Ms. Pajak stated in an e-mail. “We choose days with the bottom prescription demand, guarantee that there’s a close by pharmacy to fulfill any fast prescription wants and supply sufferers as a lot superior discover as potential by way of signage, automated telephone calls and changes in refills.”

There was a bounce in coronavirus circumstances in many of the nation previously two weeks, although circumstances are beginning to decline or stage off in cities together with New York and Cleveland, which each had Omicron-driven surges in latest weeks.

Employee shortages have been worsened by the Omicron wave in industries together with well being care and air journey. Retail employees have additionally described how they’ve needed to grapple with elevated workloads and shifting pointers due to the Omicron surge.