Ohio residents seeking COVID-19 vaccinations are being permitted by Kroger's website to schedule shots in Northern Kentucky – where they are later being turned away.
Ohio is permitting those who live outside the state but work or have doctors in Ohio to get vaccinated in Ohio. Kentucky has decided to reserve its vaccine for its residents or people who work in the Commonwealth.
The glitch means residents of both states are missing the opportunity for a COVID-19 vaccination appointment. Ohioans lose out because they've slated shots that won't be given. Kentuckians miss out on appointments that are being scheduled for Ohioans – and that might lead to unused doses getting wasted.
Kroger officials were not immediately available for comment.
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With more than 200 stores in Ohio and more than 100 in Kentucky, Kroger has been a major vaccination site in both states as they scramble to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
The scheduling issue is the latest speedbump to the nation's vaccine rollout. Last week, Kroger said one of its Little Clinic locations in Virginia accidentally gave "empty" shots to nine customers signed up to be vaccinated against COVID-19. No one was injured and the clients got their shots later.
The Cincinnati-based grocer, which operates more than 220 Little Clinics in its supermarkets in nine states, said all nine affected clients were contacted and later given the vaccine.
It said the team that made the error was retrained.
Besides Kroger stores, the grocer operates several regional supermarket chains in 35 states, including Fred Meyer, Harris Teeter, Ralphs, Mariano's, Fry's, Smith's, King Soopers, QFC and others. The company has nearly 2,800 stores and employs nearly 500,000 workers. It also operates more than 220 Little Clinics in its supermarkets in nine states.
Kroger said it has delivered 1 million vaccinations to date to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
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