Flu shots will be available beginning Oct. 19, and health professionals are strongly encouraging the public to be vaccinated this year for multiple reasons relating to COVID-19. (Canadian Press)

By Trevor Redden

Twindemic

Local pharmacies encourage flu shot appointments ahead of ‘very difficult season’

Oct 1, 2020 | 1:21 PM

Beginning Oct. 19, Saskatchewan residents will be able to receive a flu shot to protect themselves from influenza this winter.

With COVID-19 continuing to spread across the world, local health professionals are encouraging all residents to get their flu vaccine to protect themselves as well as the health system.

Tracy Price is the pharmacy manager at the downtown Pharmasave in Prince Albert, and she said the combination of influenza and COVID-19 could pose serious health challenges to anybody.

“The flu shot will not protect against COVID, but what it will protect against is a word that we’re calling a twindemic. The concern that a lot of healthcare providers have this year is someone that has a co-infection, so they have COVID-19 and then they get infected with influenza,” Price explained. “To get infected with both viruses at once, even for a young healthy person, could be very dangerous.”

Based on data from other countries like Australia which have already had a flu season, Price said the expectation is demand will reach new levels for the vaccine this year.

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“They’re expecting potentially in some areas the demand for the flu shot to double over previous years. In Saskatchewan 50 per cent of the flu shots were done in pharmacies last year, so we’re preparing for an increase in demand,” Price said.

To handle that increased demand, Pharmasave and other pharmacies are encouraging people to call ahead and book an appointment to get their vaccination, rather than handling the public on a drop-in basis like in previous years.

At Victoria Square Compounding Pharmacy [VSCP], Roses Stewart has been preparing for a safe but busy flu shot season.

“The more people we are able to encourage to get the flu vaccine, the easier it’s going to be on our health care professionals in what is going to be a very difficult season,” Stewart said.

In addition to an Intensive care-quality air unit on the building to purify the space, VSCP is asking people to wear masks and make their appointments, respecting social distancing norms while in the pharmacy. Additionally, patients will be filling out COVID-19 forms to make sure there has been no exposure or symptoms to provide as many precautions as possible for the public and the staff.

Stewart said it’s more important than ever to make sure your immune system is prepared.

“What we’re hoping is that by your body not responding to the flu [by vaccinating], keeping your immunity as strong as possible,” Stewart explained.

VSCP is also encouraging businesses in town to call and make arrangements to accommodate larger groups.

According to the federal government’s most recent data following the 2018-19 flu season, the percentage of adults receiving a vaccination has been increasing, but the country has not yet met its national coverage goals of 80 per cent for seniors and adults at higher risk.

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trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Trevor_Redden