It’s a stop at the pharmacy that many Albertans make every fall, but getting a flu shot isn’t as common for those without a place to live. On Monday, as the province rolled out flu shots for all, one Lethbridge pharmacist made sure that included clients at the Lethbridge Soup Kitchen.
Vishal Sukhadiya, pharmacist and owner of The Medicine Shoppe in Lethbridge, gave about 25 flu shots over the lunch hour, and planned to return to give more shots at the shelter next door on Monday night.
Sukhadiya says many homeless people and vulnerable populations struggle with underlying health issues, and spend more time outdoors in the cold, making them more susceptible.
“If something happens to them, like flu or something, certainly they will be the worst to recover,” he said.
Soup kitchen executive director Bill Ginther says Sukhadiya’s offer to volunteer his time provides health care that his clients would normally miss out on.
“We find that most of our guests probably would feel uncomfortable going into a public pharmacy to have their shots, and this way we come to them,” Ginther said.
More people getting immunized is a step in the direction the province would like to go.
Last year one in three Albertans got their flu shots, but in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hope is that more people will be proactive.
“We can’t yet prevent COVID-19 with a vaccine, but we can help stop the flu from taxing our health system,” Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said Friday.
According to Alberta Health Services, during the 2019-2020 flu season there were 8,470 lab-confirmed cases of influenza in Alberta, and 41 flu-related deaths.
For this flu season the province ordered a record 1.96 million doses of the vaccine, good for about 45 per cent of the population.
Sukhadiya says it’s important that people realize how serious the flu can be, especially combined with COVID-19.
Alberta Health says the easiest way for most Albertans to get a flu shot is to call a local pharmacy or doctor’s office. AHS clinics are offering influenza immunizations only to those under five years of age and their immediate families or household members.
As of Monday, nearly 2,000 AHS appointments had been booked in Lethbridge, with more than 5,200 booked in the south health zone.
Appointments are required as AHS tries to limit the spread of COVID-19 by eliminating drop-in visits.