NEWS RELEASE
COUCHICHING PHARMACIST NETWORK
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The Couchiching Pharmacist Network has been collaborating with local health-care providers to ensure everyone is prepared for the upcoming flu season.
Autumn is a time of changing seasons and preparation for the colder months. While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic remains uncertain, one thing is for sure: getting your flu shot is the best defence against influenza.
Last year, pharmacists administered over 3 million flu shots in Canada. Ensuring safe access to the flu vaccine is a priority for your local health-care providers. Pharmacists, physicians, nurses and local community agencies are working together to ensure influenza vaccines are accessible to everyone.
The flu shot not only prevents you from getting sick, it also protects others around you who may be at risk of flu complications. This year, doctors’ offices and pharmacies will offer the high dose and standard dose vaccine.
The standard dose vaccine is available for everyone over the age of 5. It is a quadrivalent vaccine (QIV), which will protect effectively against four different strains of influenza.
If you are 65 or older, you can receive either the standard dose, or high dose vaccine. The high dose flu shot is a trivalent vaccine (TIV) which contains three strains of influenza, just in higher concentrations.
The high dose vaccine is usually reserved for vulnerable at-risk seniors, such as those with autoimmune conditions. However, either vaccine is a safe and effective choice for generally healthy seniors. Getting one flu shot is enough for the year, and booster doses are not recommended.
For children 6 months to 4 years old, parents should contact their primary-care provider.
Your family pharmacist is well prepared for this flu season. Increased PPE, screening and sanitization protocols have been put in place and your pharmacy teams have been working hard to manage the increased demand.
Many pharmacies will now require an appointment for a flu shot. Some will have designated hours for walk-in traffic. This will help manage the workflow in the pharmacy, and give staff time to ensure enough supplies, complete the necessary screening and cleaning measures.
Pharmacies are in the early stages of receiving an initial vaccine supply. Current available appointments may be limited by the preliminary release of supply, but increased quantities will be more available in the coming weeks.
As flu season typically runs from October until April, there will be enough time for flu shots to become accessible to everyone. Please contact your pharmacist to be added to a waitlist, to schedule an appointment, or for more information.
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT
Call ahead to schedule an appointment. Pick up paperwork and fill it out at home ahead of time, or arrive a few minutes before to fill out consent and screening forms. Remember to bring your health card.
Inform your pharmacist who your primary-care provider is. Please honour your appointment time. If you become unwell or if you have received your vaccination elsewhere, please inform your pharmacy to cancel your appointment as there are others who are waiting for a timeslot.
DURING YOUR APPOINTMENT
Wear a short-sleeve shirt since your pharmacist will need access to your upper arm. As physical distancing will not be possible during vaccination, please wear a face covering for the duration of the appointment.
AFTER YOUR APPOINTMENT
You may be asked to wait a few minutes in the pharmacy after the vaccination to be monitored for any immediate reactions. Your pharmacist will provide a record and inform your primary-care provider of your immunization.
Getting your annual flu vaccine is your best bet at fighting the flu. Continuing with good hand hygiene and social distancing is essential to preventing the spread of influenza.
Your community pharmacists are working closely with each other and collaborating with physicians, nurses and the hospital to ensure everyone will have safe and timely access to their flu shot. Please remember to be patient and kind as we all prepare for this upcoming flu season together.
Submitted by Elaine Dinh, pharmacist at Orillia Food Basics.
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