Problems reported as CVS begins registering COVID-19 vaccinations in Virginia

As COVID-19 vaccine rollouts continue across the country, many who tried to register early for the CVS vaccination program in Virginia say they were met with problems.

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The pharmacy began registering Virginians age 65 and older who were within the state's Phase 1b eligibility guidelines Tuesday. The pharmacy will begin administering vaccinations on Friday.

In a press release, the Virginia Department of Health said they worked with CVS over the last week to ensure their system followed the state's priority guidelines. VDH also said they worked with the pharmacy to make sure they provided advance opportunity for eligible individuals already registered on department's waiting lists.

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"Due to technological limitations with their national appointment system, CVS is unable to reserve appointments for pre-registered individuals," read a VDH statement released Tuesday. "Virginia will continue to work towards a solution in partnership with other participating states and the federal government."

Last week, the Biden administration said it would start shipping COVID-19 vaccines directly to pharmacies. Virginia is expected to receive 26,000 doses that will be made available at 28 Virginia pharmacy locations.

According to a report on WRIC, Dr. Danny Avula, who is leading the state's vaccination efforts, spoke regarding the issue during a Tuesday press conference. "Not an ideal rollout," he said, "but at the end of the day, we are thankful that it's a way to pull down more vaccine into Virginia."