Pharmacists help with flu shots in Sask. but at an added cost

Pharmacistsare helping ease the burden onpublic health officials when it comes to influenza immunization in Saskatchewan.

"The pharmacy certainly provides a supportive service in terms of the vaccines and certainly it is well used by the public," said Dr. Maurice Hennink,thedeputy medical health officer forReginaQu'AppelleHealth Region.

This is the second year pharmacists have been able to provide immunizations in the province. They can give the vaccine to anyone nine years old and older.

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As of Dec. 10, public health officials have administered 65 per cent of influenza vaccines across the province,compared with about 35 per cent of people who have been vaccinated at pharmacies, said TylerMcMurchy, a spokesman for the provincial Ministry of Health.

InRQHR, about 55,000 vaccinations have beenadministeredand about40 per cent of those weredone by pharmacists,saidHennink.

In Saskatoon, about 46,000 doses have been given, but the region could not provide a number for those provided by pharmacists, said Saskatoon Health Region deputy medical health officer Dr. SimonKapaj.

McMurchysaid there have been no reports of excessive wait times for immunizations.

Added cost

This year, the Saskatchewan governmentordered 380,000 doses in preparation for the flu season, which cost nearly $2.54 million. That batch of vaccinations was distributed to public health administrators and pharmacies.

Public health officials provide their flu shots for free, but pharmacists do not. On top of the cost of the vaccines themselves,theprovincial government gives $13per dose to pharmacists for each vaccine administered.

Public health officials are not given money on a per-dose basis because they are already paid an hourly wage.

McMurchysaid the ministry isunable to provide the total cost of paying pharmacists for the doses or a comparison to the cost of having all shotsadministered by public health officials, because the number of patients per hour varies from clinic to clinic.

Strains in Saskatchewan

The predominant strain of Influenza A this year,H3N2,is different and more powerful than the Influenza AH1N1of last year. It targets the elderly and young children, and is also more likely to lead to death.

However, health officials have saidthere is a strongmatch between this year's vaccine and Influenza A H3N2.

"That's good news because individuals that have received the vaccine are protected for this influenza season,"Kapajsaid.

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Last year, the peak of the flu season was in March, but this year it's expected to be in mid-January.

But Hennink said,"There's no definite way to predict exactly how we're going to experience the flu season."

That's why he, Kapajand McMurchy want to remind people that there is still time to get vaccinated.