RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Big chain pharmacies are shortening their hours, and it’s all because of workers.

Pharmacies like Walmart and CVS just announced that they’re reducing their hours at the majority of their stores in an effort to improve service.

In a statement Walmart told CBS 17:

Walmart is committed to helping our associates live better. Walmart has a strong and incredible pharmacy team, and we are making this change to not only enhance their work-life balance but also to maintain the best level of service for our customers.

This change is a direct result of feedback from our pharmacy associates and listening to our customers. By positioning our teams in the hours where our customers say they want to visit our pharmacy, we are better able to deliver excellent customer service and support our associates as they continue to serve their communities every day.  

Effective in March, pharmacy hours in almost 4,600 of our stores will change to Monday-Friday 9a-7p, with weekend pharmacy hours remaining the same.

CBS 17 also reached out to CVS who says:

As part of the regular course of business, we periodically review operating hours to make sure we’re open during peak customer demand. From time to time, this may result in a shift in pharmacy hours. By adjusting hours in select stores this spring, we ensure our pharmacy teams are available to serve patients when they’re most needed. If a pharmacy is closed, a patient can visit any open CVS Pharmacy location for assistance with their immediate prescription needs. 

All this comes as pharmacies across the country are seeing staffing shortages. 

I spoke with the head of wake tech’s pharmacy tech program who says there’s a big need.

“We have industry pharmacies calling us every day asking if we have students that would be interested in applying and telling us they have jobs that are posted and wanting to see if our students will apply to these positions,” said Shannon Natale, the department head of Pharmacy Technology at Wake Tech. 

As for CVS they stressed they are not adjusting their hours due to staffing shortages. A spokesperson says, “Decisions about each pharmacy’s hours of operation are based on patient traffic and needs, prescription volume, and community access.”