Walgreens pharmacies are closing early around the country due to staff shortages (2024)

• Some Walgreens locations have shortened hours because they lack staff.
• Pharmacists say they're being asked to work longer hours and do more.
• Walgreens raised pay and added bonuses for new workers.

The labor shortage is still going across the retail industry, and it might make it harder to pick up your prescriptions.

Some Walgreens pharmacies across the US have shortened hours because they lack staff. Walgreens stores in the Des Moines, Idaho area reduced hours because they didn't have enough workers in October, Axios reported. Pharmacies in Colorado, Indiana, and Kentucky are facing the same issue, leading to longer wait times for customers.

"It is a bit of a perfect storm," Emily Zadvorny, Executive Director of of the Colorado Pharmacists Society told 9News.

"We're facing unprecedented times in healthcare in general, and in the pharmacy profession, it's no different. There's a lot of stress on our healthcare professionals. We're seeing shortages of healthcare professionals across the board, and again, the same in pharmacy," Zadvorny said.

Some pharmacists report being burnt out as they are asked to work longer hours and take on new duties, including giving COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.

"We're expected to get as many prescriptions done in a day as possible while also doing vaccines and also doing tests," Veronica Vernon, incoming president of the Indiana Pharmacists Association, told The Indianapolis Star.

"We are grateful to our trusted team members who have shown exceptional dedication throughout the pandemic. In the pharmacy, they have fulfilled even greater responsibility, whether it's administering life-saving vaccines, or helping patients keep up with prescriptions and health screenings," Fraser Engerman, senior director of external relations at Walgreens, told Insider.

Some Walgreens customers reported long waits or closed stores on social media. Walgreens policy is to direct customers to a nearby store when it has to adjust hours, a spokesperson told Insider.

In August, Walgreens announced it would raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour, matching competitor CVS. The chain said the new minimum wouldn't be fully in effect until November 2022.

Throughout the pandemic, Walgreens said it has hired 25,000 full and part-time workers. In September, the chain announced incentives to hire even more workers, with a $1,250 bonus to full-time pharmacist hires and a $1000 bonus to part-time pharmacist hires. Pharmacy technicians who become certified to administer COVID-19 vaccines are also eligible for a $1000 bonus.

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