The BC Pharmacy Association recently kicked off the Say No to Flu campaign to bring greater awareness to the epidemic, especially at the start of the season, by providing patients access and convenience to get their flu shots by their local, injection-certified pharmacist. Over 550,000 people received a flu shot from their pharmacist in 2016-2017, an increase of 27 per cent over the previous year. The BC Pharmacy Association predicts a similar, if not increase, in the number of flu shots for the 2017-2018 season.
To help promote the campaign, several of our member pharmacists were interviewed by the media, to provide their expert opinion on the importance of getting vaccinated for this flu season. Pharmacists were featured by major outlets, including:
- Global News - B.C. pharmacists gearing up for busy flu season
- Sing Tao - December is peak flu season, pharmacists call for vaccination (Chinese)
Member pharmacist Jamie Wigston spoke to Radio NL 610 AM (Kamloops) and CKNW 980 AM (Vancouver) on the importance of providing flu shots not just to high-risk groups but to caregivers and relatives at the same time. (October 28, 2017).
Want to get more involved in promoting the role of pharmacists providing flu shots in your area? Contact Angie Gaddy at angie.gaddy@bcpharmacy.ca or (604) 269-2863. Don’t forget to follow the Association’s social media channels and use the hashtag #SayNoToFlu.