COVID-19 Vaccine and Testing Solutions

COVID-19 vaccines remain safe and effective. They prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Vaccines make people more likely to have a milder and shorter illness compared to those who are unvaccinated.

Our pharmacies are administering FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccines to patients age 5 years and older! Make your appointment today!

The federal government is providing the vaccine free of charge to all people living in the United States, regardless of their immigration or health insurance status.

COVID-19 vaccination providers cannot:

• Charge you for the vaccine
• Charge you directly for any administration fees, copays, or coinsurance
• Deny vaccination to anyone who does not have health insurance coverage, is underinsured, or is out of network
• Charge an office visit or other fee to the recipient if the only service provided is a COVID-19 vaccination
• Require additional services in order for a person to receive a COVID-19 vaccine; however, additional healthcare services can be provided at the same time and billed as appropriate

COVID-19 vaccination providers can:

• Seek appropriate reimbursement from the recipient’s plan or program (e.g., private health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid) for a vaccine administration fee. However, providers cannot charge the vaccine recipient the balance of the bill.
• Seek reimbursement for uninsured vaccine recipients from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s COVID-19 Uninsured Program External icon.

All three vaccines authorized in the United States are safe and effective. They cannot be compared because the vaccines have not been studied in head-to-head comparisons or trials. Additionally, the clinical trials for each vaccine occurred in different circumstances that may have influenced the trial outcomes like geography, points in time, and variant circulations. The FDA, CDC, and ACIP have not declared preference for one vaccine over another. The best vaccine is the first one available to you!

Depending on the area, our pharmacies will administer Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and/or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines. All three vaccines are safe and effective, and there is no preference for one product over another.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one dose to complete the primary vaccine series. If you have a weakened immune system, it is recommended you receive more than one dose for optimal protection. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines require two doses to complete the primary vaccine series. The first dose builds protection and the second dose strengthens the immune response.

Our pharmacies are trained and ready to administer the COVID-19 vaccines. As doses are allocated to us, we are administering in accordance with jurisdiction-defined eligibility.

Patients with a weakened immune system are recommended to receive an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine because they are most likely to get severely ill and are at a higher risk for prolonged infection. Our pharmacies and clinics are able to provide additional doses to eligible patients.

Booster doses of a vaccine are needed when evidence shows the vaccinated population’s immune response over time is waning or weakening. Additional doses of a vaccine are needed when evidence shows the vaccinated population’s immune response over time is insufficient.

Studies show immunocompromised people need an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine because they don’t always build the same level of immunity the way non-immunocompromised people do, and an additional dose promotes adequate protection.

• You can purchase the BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test in-store or on our website. There is no appointment or prescription necessary. Please visit our website to find a participating store near you.
• Once home, follow the instructions included with the kit to perform the nasal swab sample collection and complete the test.
• Results are typically available within 15 minutes of test completion. Review the instructions included in the kit for details on how to determine test results.
• Perform the second test included in the kit three days later with at least 36 hours between tests.

• The cost of this test is $23.99, due at the time of purchase. As of 1/15/2022, at-home COVID-19 tests may be covered by your insurance. Save your receipt and contact your insurance provider for reimbursement.

• The BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test is currently available in-store and on our website.
• Click here to order your kit.

• This product has not been FDA cleared or approved; but has been authorized by FDA under an EUA;
• This product has been authorized only for the detection of proteins from SARS- CoV-2, not for any other viruses or pathogens; and,
• This product is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb3(b)(1), unless the declaration is terminated or authorization is revoked sooner.

• You can purchase the QuickVue At-Home OTC COVID-19 Test in select stores. There is no appointment or prescription necessary. Find store near you.
• Once home, follow the instructions included with the kit to perform the nasal swab sample collection and complete the test.
• Results are typically available within 10 minutes of test completion. Review the instructions included in the kit for details on how to determine test results.
• Perform the second test included in the kit three days later with at least 36 hours between tests.

• The cost of this test is $23.99, due at the time of purchase. As of 1/15/2022, at-home COVID-19 tests may be covered by your insurance. Save your receipt and contact your insurance provider for reimbursement.

• The QuickVue At-Home OTC COVID-19 Test is currently available in select stores.
• Click here to find a store near you.

• This product has not been FDA cleared or approved; but has been authorized by FDA under an EUA;
• This product has been authorized only for the detection of proteins from SARS- CoV-2, not for any other viruses or pathogens; and,
• This product is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb3(b)(1), unless the declaration is terminated or authorization is revoked sooner.

The Kroger Health COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit is available for over-the-counter purchase at select pharmacy locations. Contact your local pharmacy to confirm test availability. Over the counter COVID-19 rapid antigen testing options are also available at most pharmacies.

At this time, COVID-19 antibody testing is not available at Our Family of Pharmacies.

Common symptoms include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and/or new loss of taste or smell. For the complete list of COVID-19 symptoms and what you can do to better protect yourself, please refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Kroger Health COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit is available for individuals 16+.

The BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test is available for individuals 2+.

The QuickVue At-Home OTC COVID-19 Test is available for individuals 2+.

The Kroger Health COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit relies on a nasal swab.

The BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test relies on a nasal swab.

The QuickVue At-Home OTC COVID-19 Test relies on a nasal swab.

The results of all rapid tests will be available within approximately 15-30 minutes. The results for the send-out tests are typically available within 72 to 96 hours, since they are sent to an off-site approved lab for processing. Positive results will be reported to you over the phone by one of our providers, along with recommendations for follow-up care.

Physician referrals are NOT required for any of the COVID-19 tests.

It’s important to keep up with the latest about COVID-19. An excellent resource for information is the CDC’s Coronavirus Disease website.