A CVS pharmacist prepares to vaccinate assisted-living facility residents in Maine. Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images On Thursday retail pharmacies began administering COVID-19 vaccines to the elderly in New York. National drug chains like CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid are slated to be major players in the vaccine rollout. So are pharmacies operated out of retail giants like Walmart and Kroger. National retailers could offer brand name recognition that will foster convenience and encourage public trust in the vaccines. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. On Tuesday, the daily COVID-19 death toll in the United States hit a record at 4,327.