Montreal pharmacist opens doors during off-hours to boost immunocompromised patients safely

On a frigid Saturday afternoon, Anjou resident Annie-Danielle Grenier drove 30 minutes to get a COVID-19 shot at a small,downtown Montreal pharmacy and she says she would've driven 30 more if necessary.

"It's the only place I could get my booster shot safely," said the immunocompromised woman on her way out of Proxim Arto BasmadjianonCte-des-NeigesRoad.

That's where Montreal pharmacist DaronBasmadjianopened his doors Saturday to offer people withweakened immune systems a chance to get a booster shot in an environment that poses the lowest level of risk to the high-risk population.

"Ireally just wanted to offer a safe space for those types of people people who have really been in hiding for two years and are afraid to go out and get their vaccine because they don't want to go to a large vaccine centre where there's lots of people milling about," saidBasmadjian.

Normally closed on weekends,Basmadjian will be opening his pharmacy up every Saturday toimmunocompromised patients and those they live with. One patient at a time will bepermitted in the pharmacy to get their shot, andthey will be able to stay in their car during the mandatory 15-minute observation period to limit the amount of time they spend indoors.

Basmadjian says air purifiers and continuous CO2 monitoring have been installed in his pharmacy.Patients are also able to keep their N95 mask on if they have one, which they are not allowed to do in major vaccination centres in Quebec.

"Nothing is no risk, but this is about as low as the risk can get," he said, adding his initiative is the best way to protect a communitythat has been forgottenin the vaccination process.

Basmadjiansays many immunocompromised patients stillhaven't developed antibodies to COVID-19 despite having had three or four doses. In the face of the highly-contagious Omicronvariant, he says having these people wait indoors in a 30-to-45 minute lineup with crowds of peopleputs themat significant risk.

The pharmacist says he got the ideato help the immunocompromised when he was looking for a safe place to vaccinate his father, who recently had a liver transplant.

"I thought to myself, 'well, Ineed to take care of him, but I can't take care of only him,'" he said. "There's lots of other peoplein the same situation."

One of those people wasArmand de Mestral, who got his booster dose at the pharmacy on Saturday. He saysthe experience with Basmadjian was over quickly and made him feel safer than the only other alternative offered to him.

"Why would one want to stand in line if you're possiblygoing to be contaminated?" de Mestral said.

"I think this particular pharmacist is doing everyone a great service and im very grateful to him."

Since Basmadjian posted about his weekend clinic on Twitter, hesays the response from the community and beyond has been overwhelming.

"Just [people] tellingme 'I am so grateful to have somewhere or someone that is looking out for me,'" he said.

After his first day of operation on Saturday, he sayshe received two bottles of wine and a donation made in his name to his favourite charity.

Going forward,Basmadjiansays he hopes his initiative will prompt the provincial government to openclinics or offer time-slots specifically for immunocompromised patients.

Until then, patients are welcome to reach out to the pharmacist by email at basmadjianpharm@gmail.com to book an appointment for a Saturday.

"I'mgoing to keep doing this as long as I have to to keep these people safe," he said.