Covid-19 vaccination: the role of pharmacists

Pharmacists and Covid-19 vaccination: can they help run a fast, effective vaccination campaign?

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To date, over 3,000,000 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in France. While this number is substantial, there's still a long way to go before we reach the goal of vaccinating the entire French population set for this summer 2021. So are there any solutions to accelerate this vaccination campaign effectively? Do pharmacists have a role to play? Here's some information to give you a clearer idea.

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Where do we stand exactly?

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Vaccination centers are currently available for people aged over 75 who are not living in nursing homes, and for people over 50 working in the medical sector.

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In a few days' time, the second stage of the vaccination campaign will begin, aimed at French people aged between 50 and 64 with co-morbidities. Comorbidities are chronic illnesses or disorders that add to the initial illness, increasing the chances of it becoming serious or even fatal.

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For Covid-19, the most common comorbidities are :

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• High blood pressure,
• Obesity,
• Diabetes
• Cystic fibrosis, etc.

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However, this second wave of vaccination is not so simple to implement. It will be carried out using the third vaccine, from the AstraZeneca laboratory, of which only 700,000 doses are currently available. These doses will be delivered to pharmacies throughout France from February 25, although pharmacists are not yet authorized to give the injections themselves, as priority is given to general practitioners.

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A somewhat tedious dose distribution system

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As AstraZeneca's vaccine is currently available in very limited quantities, there was no question of rushing its distribution across the country, so a whole reservation system was set up. General practitioners must register with a pharmacy so that it can place an order with theARS (Agence Régionale de Santé) to receive ten doses of vaccine by February 25.

Only ten doses per GP: that's what the government has decided, in order to distribute vaccines as evenly as possible across the country. While this decision is generally understood by the medical profession, it is the organization of this second vaccination phase that is the subject of debate.

Doctors and pharmacists alike are criticizing the government for its late decision and very tight deadlines, which are not allowing them to organize themselves optimally. What's more, pharmacists would also like to be able to administer the vaccine to their customers, many of whom are already requesting an appointment.

Increasingly accustomed to going to the pharmacy to access care, particularly since the advent of teleconsultation boothsmany French people would like to have easier access to vaccines, without having to go through their GP.

Unfortunately, until a government decree is ratified to this effect, pharmacists will find themselves at an impasse.

The essential role of pharmacists in French health

As we said earlier, pharmacists are playing an increasingly important role in access to healthcare in France. Vaccinations, teleconsultation terminals: it's no longer as necessary to go to your GP's surgery as it was just a few years ago.

The best example is the flu vaccine. With vaccination rates approaching 200,000 injections a day, there's no doubt that allowing pharmacists to vaccinate their customers will speed up vaccination campaigns, especially as they already have vaccination rooms, which they use every year to administer flu vaccines.

While waiting for the long-awaited decree to be signed, pharmacies are getting organized. Training courses are being set up to enable as many pharmacists as possible to vaccinate those who wish to be vaccinated in good time, and waiting lists are being created so that people wishing to be vaccinated can be contacted quickly in their pharmacies.

According to Philippe Besset, President of the Fédération des Syndicats Pharmaceutiques de France, 85% of pharmacies are ready to begin vaccinations. The decree authorizing pharmacists to administer vaccines could therefore considerably speed up the vaccination campaign.

Another important point is that authorizing pharmacists to administer the vaccine will mean that people living in areas where there is a medical desert will also have access to vaccination.

Indeed, many French people live in these areas, where it's difficult to get a quick appointment with a GP unless they have to travel more than thirty kilometers. If teleconsultation teleconsultation terminals help to combat this phenomenon throughout the year, it is essential that pharmacists are also able to participate during the vaccination campaign.

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