CVS and Walmart to cut pharmacy hours

An apparent shortage of pharmacists is forcing CVS and Walmart to reduce the hours of its pharmacies, as they close earlier in thousands of locations.

Beginning in March, Walmart, which has pharmacies in most of its 4,600 U.S. locations, will close them two hours earlier, at 7 pm. CVS will shift or cut hours at about 6,000 locations also starting in March.

For CVS, adjusting its hours is an attempt to ensure its “pharmacy teams are available to serve patients when they’re most needed,” the company said in a statement. The changes are part of its “regular course of business,” it added, so its hours meet customer demand.

In a statement, Walmart said the new hours are the result of “direct feedback” from its pharmacy employees and customers.

The National Community Pharmacists Association says more than three-quarters of pharmacies in the U.S. report staffing difficulties, which is resulting in longer wait times for customers.