COVID-19 has had a damaging and disruptive effect on the Canadian people and on the country’s healthcare system. As of December 21, 2020, over 14,000 Canadians have succumbed to the virus. 508,000 people have been diagnosed with the virus and 417,000 have successfully recovered.

Fortunately, COVID-19 vaccines are being approved by Health Canada. The Pfizer vaccine has already been approved, and the Moderna vaccine is in the pipeline. These two vaccines, the Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer vaccine, are both highly effective in scientific studies. When these vaccines are fully approved, a complex distribution system will ramp up to meet the increasing demand for the injections.

Community pharmacies will be an important link in the chain when vaccine distributions begin. In Canada, pharmacists are a key part of the healthcare system and are highly accessible to the public. Many Canadians already receive a variety of vaccines from their pharmacists.

There are 42,000 pharmacists in Canada, and experience with the flu vaccine in recent years has shown that many Canadians prefer to get their vaccinations from their local pharmacist.

Andrew Hanna, a licensed compounding pharmacist and owner of Cotton Mill Pharmacy in Ontario, explains the vaccine distribution system that will commence in Canada as soon as one or both vaccines are approved and the special role that community pharmacies will play.

Stages of Approval

Since COVID-19 is such an acute problem for the Canadian healthcare system, the approval process has been somewhat flexible. Usually, vaccine manufacturers complete their clinical trials, gather their data, and put it forward for approval. There is a back-and-forth process between Health Canada and the vaccine manufacturer until Health Canada is satisfied with the application.

The COVID-19 vaccine has been somewhat sped-up by a process known as a “rolling submission.” This process allows companies to submit their vaccine for approval while adding additional information to the package as it becomes available. Effectively, the process of approval has become shorter, but safety has not been compromised.

Transportation and Storage

Transporting and storing the various COVID-19 vaccines is challenging in many ways. Perhaps the most significant problem for the healthcare system is that the Pfizer vaccine, in particular, must be stored at the extremely cold temperature between -80 degrees Celsius and -60 degrees Celsius. Vaccines must be shipped in thermal shipping containers with dry ice. The vaccine also must be protected from shaking or it will degrade.

This means that community pharmacies will need to purchase specialized refrigeration units that can handle the temperatures required by the vaccine. There may be a cost barrier in place, but most community pharmacists are willing to make the investment in return for vaccinating more of their customers.

Priorities for Vaccination

Canada has released its priority list for the order of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. In the first group, vulnerable seniors and caregivers will receive the vaccine, along with healthcare and long-term care workers. Future priority groups will include teachers, essential workers, people under 65 with pre-existing conditions, and children under the age of 18.

The remainder of the Canadian public may have to wait months for their vaccination, but eventually, it should be available to all Canadians who want it. This will have a beneficial effect by curtailing the spread of the virus.

The Special Role of Community Pharmacies

The role of the community pharmacist in providing vaccinations has been somewhat overlooked. There are 11,000 community pharmacies in Canada, and most Canadians live within a close radius of five kilometres from a local pharmacy. Especially in rural and underserved areas of the country, where traditional healthcare providers are less accessible, the community pharmacy will fulfill a key role in distributing the vaccine.

Community pharmacists are trusted, knowledgeable healthcare professionals. Residents are accustomed to going to their pharmacists when they have questions about their health. Pharmacists can help to educate the public about the vaccines as well as vouching for their safety.

Appreciating Local Expertise

Community pharmacists have the unique ability to reach parts of the Canadian public that do not have easy access to other medical providers. This means that community pharmacists are essential in the delivery of the vaccine.

The Pfizer vaccine has been approved and the Moderna vaccine is in the late stages of the approval process. Fortunately, there are more vaccines in the works, including a formulation created by Johnson and Johnson. Having a variety of vaccines on the market means that more Canadians will be able to receive the medications.

Canadian residents need to know that the release of the vaccines does not mean that they can let down their guard against the virus. The disease will still spread, and people will still get sick for many months to come.

Andrew Hanna encourages all Canadians to visit their local pharmacist to receive their vaccines. Pharmacists are a vital part of each community’s healthcare ecosystem. When pharmacists are involved with vaccine distribution, the system will work more efficiently, and the spread of the disease will be curtailed.