More flu vaccine available soon in Island pharmacies

Island pharmacists are pleased to hear they'll soon have more flu vaccine available.

This was the first year that pharmacists on P.E.I. were able to give flu shots.

Demand was much higher than expected and most pharmacies ran out weeks ago.

P.E.I. health officials saidadditional doses areexpected to be available forphysicians, public health nursing clinics and pharmacists by the middle of the month.

It comes as welcome news toErin MacKenzie,executive director of the P.E.I. Pharmacists Association.

"Pharmacists have been very eager to access more of the provincial flu vaccine," said MacKenzie. "And we are very excited to be able to let our patients know that we hope to have more in at the middle of the month."

"With this first year, there will be a lot of lessons learned. And we have seen that access through pharmacies certainly has been great. We hope that this will impact the amount of vaccine that's allocated to pharmacies next year."

Health officials noteso far there have been sevenlab-confirmed cases of influenza on P.E.I. and one flu outbreak in a long term care facility.

That outbreak is now over.