Pharmacists Gearing Up To Begin COVID-19 Vaccination

EDMONTON, AB, Feb. 24, 2021 /CNW/ - Alberta's community pharmacists are readying themselves to participate in Alberta's COVID-19 Immunization program. Today the province announced plans for expanding COVID-19 vaccination providers, which includes pharmacists working in community pharmacies able to offer vaccine to their patients Starting with a small group of Alberta pharmacies located in the Edmonton/Red Deer/Calgary corridor, vaccine will begin to be available starting in March, allowing seniors 75 and over an option to receive their COVID-19 vaccination from their trusted community pharmacist, with more pharmacies added as supply improves.

On February 16th, Alberta Health invited community pharmacists to begin applying to participate in Alberta's COVID-19 Immunization Program. By joining the program, community pharmacies were asked to confirm their readiness to meet provincial and public health expectations for the safe supply, storage, distribution, and administration of the vaccine. As the provincial vaccine supply increases, more pharmacies will be included to expand access to COVID-19 vaccine for Albertans across the province.

Community pharmacists in Alberta continue to play a vital role in supporting the health of Albertans throughout the pandemic, most recently having administered over 1 Million flu shots this season. Over the past 11 months, pharmacists have worked diligently to ensure that their patients continue to have access to needed medications, vaccinations, and trusted health information, despite the ongoing transmission of COVID-19 virus throughout the province. When other healthcare facilities temporarily closed, Alberta's community pharmacists rallied their efforts to ensure that pharmacies could remain open and available through increased safety and sanitization protocols.

As Alberta begins to see a glimpse of the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, community pharmacists know that there is still much work to be done. Over the next several month's pharmacists will keep offering vaccinations for individuals according to the priority phasing approach described by the Alberta government and will once more be ready to meet the needs of Albertans at home in their communities.

The Alberta Pharmacists' Association (RxA) is tremendously proud of the continued efforts of all Alberta pharmacists who continue to play an integral role in the safe provision of medication therapy during these challenging times in our healthcare system. RxA recognizes and thanks Alberta Health for its commitment to engaging with our organization towards a collaborative approach to achieving public health goals through community pharmacists, for the benefit of all Albertans.

For two decades, the Alberta Pharmacists' Association (RxA) has been a champion for pharmacists in Alberta. We play an integral role in expanding pharmacists' practice, and we continue to advocate on their behalf towards excellence in patient care.

SOURCE Alberta Pharmacists' Association