Did you know that August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM)? This month highlights the importance of vaccines and reminds people of all ages to catch up on their routine vaccinations. During the month of August, people throughout the healthcare industry are encouraged to focus on immunization by providing educational resources and vaccination plans for their patients. Recently, pharmacists have become important figures in the effort to provide accessible vaccines, not just during NIAM, but throughout the year.
Pharmacists on the Front Lines of COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts
It does not need to be stated again how much the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our world, and in particular, our healthcare system. As the day-to-day practice of many healthcare providers changed, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians emerged as the integral immunization workforce in the U.S.
The extensive need for, and increased availability of, the COVID-19 vaccine led to more people being trained in administering immunizations. Though America’s pharmacists have been providing vaccines for over 25 years, many patients continued to look to physicians and nurses for vaccines, and routine immunizations were often provided during regular check-ups and other appointments. Pharmacists are now viewed as the front-line experts on immunizations.
The scope of this phenomenon was described in “Essential services: Quantifying the contributions of America’s pharmacists in COVID-19 clinical interventions,” John D. Grabenstein’s article published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.
“Between mid-December 2020 and September 2022, pharmacists’ teams administered more than 270 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine,” Grabenstein reported. “During this interval, the total number of COVID-19 vaccinations reported across all 50 states and U.S. territories numbered 606 million… community pharmacists and their teammates delivered 45% of COVID-19 vaccinations across the United States.”
More recent estimates on the contributions of pharmacists in vaccine distribution place this figure even higher.
“Pharmacists, who comprise about 5% of vaccinating professionals, have been responsible for more COVID-19 vaccines than all others combined,” stated Dr. Keri Hurley, associate clinical professor of the University of California, Irvine School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Routine Vaccination Administration by Pharmacists
This increased responsibility for pharmacists has expanded beyond administering COVID-19 vaccines. Of course, boosters and first-time COVID vaccinations are still being provided by pharmacists, but pharmacists have become a source for other routine immunizations as well. This includes flu vaccines, infant/childhood vaccines, pneumococcal vaccines, vaccines for HPV and other sexually transmitted infections, and more.
Grabenstein’s report on the role of pharmacists in providing COVID-19 vaccines also explored how routine immunizations have become increasingly administered by pharmacists: “According to CDC statistics, pharmacists administered 35.3 million doses of influenza vaccine to adults during the pre-pandemic 2019-20 season, increasing to 47.7 million in 2020-21. Of those vaccinated against influenza in the 2020-21 season, about 39% of adults and 12% of children received their influenza vaccination from a community pharmacist.”
It is crucial to remember the importance of all routine vaccinations. Many people missed routine vaccination appointments during shutdowns, and routine vaccinations have, in some way, been less thought of as the conversation surrounding vaccination has focused primarily on COVID-19 immunization since 2020. Staying up to date on routine vaccinations is essential.
Vaccination Efforts at UC Irvine
Our own students and faculty have made great efforts to expand accessibility to routine vaccinations. In collaboration with UCI Public Health and the UCI Student Health Center, the UCI School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences helped to administer over 1800 flu vaccines at mobile flu vaccine clinics held in October and November 2022, with hundreds of vaccinations provided at the previous year’s clinics.
The Annual Pop-Up Flu Vaccine Clinic is returning this year from October 2-December 6, on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Social Science Plaza on Ring Road. The flu vaccine is covered by UC-SHIP, and no appointment is required to get vaccinated. A full list of dates and further details can be found here.
(Please note: If you are a student, certain vaccines are required. You can explore the UC Immunization and TB Requirements here.)
Working Toward Accessible Vaccines for All
Overall, this expanded reach of immunization through pharmacists has significantly benefited public health. The increased access to vaccines has allowed for greater equity in immunization administration, as pharmacies are often more accessible than physician’s offices and hospitals for many underserved communities. Through the continued work of our nation’s pharmacists, a healthier world is becoming possible.
