The numbers are in, and it appears allowing pharmacists to give flu shots this year was a good idea.
The Nova Scotia Government anticipated about 20 thousand people going that route, and as it turns out, they more than tripled that number.
“On you know, a busier day, we would be doing up to 20 vaccines in our store in particular,” says Bedford pharmacist Anna Wood. “In other stores, it would be as high as 50.”
This was the first year pharmacists administered flu shots in the province.
Over 74 thousand people went to pharmacies for their vaccination, leaving many stores scrambling for more vaccine.
Wood says she believes they even reach those who wouldn’t normally get vaccinated.
“People were choosing to get vaccinated just because they were in the pharmacy, there was a minimal wait time and they figured why not,” she adds.
The province’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health credits the large turnout to convenience, as well as the quality of service.
“Anecdotally people have been very happy with the service they get when they walk into pharmacies,” explains Doctor Frank Atherton. “Well planned, well managed, pharmacies have been well trained to deliver this service and it worked really well in Nova Scotia.”
The health department is not expecting to know exactly how many Nova Scotians got their flu shots until a little later in the spring.
However, with the positive pick up at pharmacies and the amount of vaccine ordered in, they’re expecting good things.
“We’ve actually dispersed we believe enough vaccine to cover 48 per cent of the population,” explains Doctor Atherton. “Now in an average year, we usually cover a third of the population, 34-35 per cent.”
Certified pharmacists in New Brunswick provide free immunization to eligible groups, as well as those who want to pay.
At this point, Prince Edward Island does not offer vaccine through pharmacies.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jacqueline Foster
