Mobilizing pharmacists is key to our immunization success

Although a growing number of COVID-19 vaccines have been approved, getting shots into arms has become a significant challenge. With public access to vaccines on the horizon, now is a critical time to prepare health-care professionals like pharmacists with a comprehensive distribution strategy.

Pharmacists are among the most accessible health-care professionals. With years of experience administering flu vaccines, they are well suited to provide care alongside family physicians, nurses and other providers in the united effort to keep our communities safe.

There are more than 11,000 community pharmacies licensed and registered in Canada. The sprawl of pharmacies from one end of the neighbourhood to the next presents a unique opportunity to alleviate other vaccination sites’ pressures.

But efforts to implement this measure need to be strategic. With storage requirements of nearly -80 C for the Pfizer vaccines, without additional investments in cold chain infrastructure, pharmacies may be better suited to carry the Moderna vaccines instead. At 2 to 8 C, Moderna can be stored in a fridge for up to 30 days, making it an ideal candidate for community distribution.

However, with manufacturing uncertainty, there may very well be an argument for additional investments into pharmacy storage infrastructure. Recent estimates suggest that pharmacists can administer up to three million doses a week. By supporting pharmacists’ capacity to vaccinate, we could come out of the pandemic sooner.

On another matter, with single-pharmacist staffing, the norm in many community pharmacies, their services may become overwhelmed without an efficient appointment-based system. Digital platforms have sprung up to streamline appointments and bookings for the second dose. To make the process more efficient, governments should consider partnering with pharmacies and digital health providers.

Another consideration is that hospital pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are experienced by now in drawing extra doses out of vaccine vials. Although the delivery of low dead space syringes alongside vaccine supplies is critical to allow for extra doses, the techniques involved in drawing from the vial is also an essential factor. At Trillium Health Partners, hospital pharmacists have reported a 86 per cent success rate in drawing the sixth dose out of Pfizer vaccines. There is an opportunity here for collaboration between hospitals and the community to standardize the vaccine preparation process. With manufacturing delays coupled with a global rush for vaccines, squeezing out extra doses from vaccine vials could considerably alleviate bottlenecks in supply.

The movement toward mobilizing pharmacists for COVID-19 vaccinations

The sprawl of pharmacies from one end of the neighbourhood to the next presents a unique opportunity

is the right step forward as we move further into the pandemic. With more than 45,000 pharmacists licensed across Canada, it is vital that their services and expertise are utilized. However, like any initiative, this has to be implemented with thoughtful preparation. By leveraging digital solutions and standardizing vaccine distribution processes, Canada has an opportunity to make its community vaccination plan a national success.

Peter Zhang is a candidate in the combined doctor of pharmacy/MBA program at the University of Toronto’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and the Rotman School of Management. Dr. Ming Hu, PhD, is a University of Toronto Distinguished Professor and a professor of operations management at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.