Nova Scotia’s pharmacies are ready to continue rolling out COVID-19 booster shots.
The Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia says they have the tools to ensure shots get into arms routinely for the long term.
CEO Allison Bodnar tells our newsroom they have lots of experience after serving as the primary sites to deliver the doses for more than a year now.
She adds we can expect the COVID-19 vaccine to stick around for the foreseeable future, like a flu shot.
“The systems work really well that Nova Scotia has invested in with the CANImmunize Central booking and the way we order and deliver vaccines,” Bodnar says. “So it’s a pretty efficient vehicle here in the province. I’m not too worried about how this likely will turn into a periodic vaccine similar to the flu shot.”
The federal health minister recently announced you can expect to get a booster dose every nine months to protect against new variants.
Jean-Yves Duclos says Canadians need to rethink the term “fully vaccinated.”
“We know now that up-to-date vaccination reduces the risk of transmission, the risk of infection, the risk of severe symptoms and the risk of developing long COVID. This is why Canadians must stay up to date,” Duclos says. “Being up to date with your vaccinations means that you received your last dose within the last 9 months.”
Duclos reminds Canadians it’s never too late to get vaccinated.
Meantime, Bodnar says pharmacies are gearing up to roll out the pediatric vaccines this summer.
She says they will return to a full-scale mass booster campaign in the fall.
