CVS is hiring 15,000 new staff to cope with an expected rise of COVID-19 cases and the potential rollout of a vaccine
- CVS is hiring 15,000 new staff to prepare for an expected rise in COVID-19 cases during the colder months.
- This includes more than 10,000 pharmacy technicians, who will dispense medicines and administer COVID-19 tests.
- They may even be able administer vaccines, if the government authorizes proposed healthcare changes backed by CVS.
- CVS is also hiring "several thousand" full-time customer service roles that will be carried out remotely.
CVS Health is hiring 15,000 new staff to cope with the expected rise in COVID-19 cases during fall and winter, it announced Monday.
The vacancies include more than 10,000 roles for full- and part-time licensed pharmacy technicians to dispense medicines and administer COVID-19 tests. The company wants to fill the positions "as soon as possible."
Many of the roles are temporary, but could become permanent, the company added.
Technicians would also be able to administer COVID-19 vaccinations under the supervision of an immunization-certified pharmacist if state legislators authorizes proposed changes backed by CVS.
Since April, pharmacists have called on US legislators to introduce this policy, which the state of Nevada did in September. CVS says the change would help more people get vaccinated.
CVS said the new hires would "help the company continue to respond to the needs of communities across the country during the fall and winter months when the incidences of COVID-19 and the flu are expected to increase."
CVS usually recruits new staff every flu season, but Lisa Bisaccia, the company's chief human resources officer, said it expects "a much greater need for trained pharmacy technicians this year given the continued presence of COVID-19 in our communities."
CVS is also recruiting pharmacists, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and distribution center employees.
It has also opened "several thousand" full-time remote customer service roles. These have a flexible schedule, the company said, which makes them suitable for people returning to work during the pandemic.
Candidates can try the job out online before they apply.
CVS Health opened the first large-scale COVID-19 testing sites in the US in April, and has administered more than 5 million tests.
The company aims to provide around approximately 5 million COVID-19 tests per month, it added, and is currently offering tests at nearly 4,000 drive-thru pharmacies.
To meet these needs, CVS has hired nearly 80,000 full-time, part-time and temporary employees so far, a spokesperson told NBC News.