In the coming weeks, governments will be developing their respective vaccine distribution plans to target specific populations, and eventually the roll out of mass immunization campaigns, the likes of which has never been done. Canada's 42,500 pharmacists and 11,000 pharmacies across the country are ready to play their part in delivering COVID-19 vaccines to millions of Canadians, alongside many of our health provider colleagues.
- Pharmacies have the expertise and infrastructure to deliver large scale vaccination campaigns.
- Most Canadians live within 5km of a pharmacy, which means that pharmacists are ideally placed to reach Canadians in rural and remote areas as well as large urban and suburban settings.
- The convenience of pharmacies makes them a top choice for people who wish to get immunized.
- Pharmacists have a proven track record of increasing immunization rates and supporting adherence rates for multi-dose regimens.
- Pharmacies have the digital infrastructure to support patient prioritization and sequencing.
- Pharmacies are served by sophisticated and highly reliable pharmaceutical distribution systems.
Early and clear engagement with health professionals as part of the planning process is essential to ensuring a coordinated approach across the country and to allowing providers the opportunity to prepare accordingly.