I started working at the Safeway pharmacy, which operates as part of the Albertsons companies, while I was at school to become a pharmacist almost six years ago. Since I graduated from pharmacy school in 2019, I’ve worked as a “floating” pharmacist for Safeway. As a float, I switch to different Safeways when other pharmacists are out or a particular store needs extra help.
Pharmacists have a variety of professional roles. We comply with prescriptions and offer consultations on different medications, but we also make sure that the prescriptions we are complying with do not interact negatively with other medications that the client prescribes.
Pharmacists are probably the most accessible healthcare professionals out there. We can answer most questions about prescription drugs and are easily accessible – either over the phone or at the pharmacy. Due to our proximity to the public, I knew that pharmacists would play a big role in launching the COVID-19 vaccine in the country.
Since the government announced that it would start distributing coronavirus vaccines to pharmacies in mid-February, we have received many phone calls and many questions about when they will be available.
We do not yet know when our pharmacy will receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Safeway is part of the federal government’s vaccine distribution plan, so far, our pharmacy does not have an exact date for when we should expect the vaccines to be delivered. I know of a few pharmacies in Oregon that received the vaccine, but it was sporadic. Most vaccines have been distributed to health clinics and hospitals.
In late January, we received online training from the entire company on how to prepare for receiving the vaccine. In training, we learned about the different vaccines currently available, how to store and administer them safely and what Safeway expects in terms of vaccine supply and demand.
As a pharmacist, I was trained to give immunizations at the pharmacy school, so administering the COVID-19 vaccine will be no different than giving a patient any other type of vaccine, be it a flu vaccine or a herpes zoster vaccine.
At the moment, Safeway is also training its pharmacy technicians (who are not pharmacists, but assist customers and help prepare prescriptions) to administer the vaccine. I anticipate that some Safeways will set up clinics (in-store or elsewhere) to manage it and a way for people to sign up to receive it online and in person.
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Administering a vaccine is not complicated.
Some vaccines are pre-filled syringes, where all you have to do is basically poke someone. Sometimes vaccines require some reconstitution before they are administered. This just means that they may need to be diluted with a solution.
Other vaccines, such as the vaccinated vaccine from Pfizer, come with specific storage instructions and must be kept in cold temperatures with minimal exposure to light and, once thawed, must be used within a certain period of time. We keep this in mind when we are preparing vaccines during our shifts.
As pharmacists, we receive instructions for storage and administration from pharmacy supervisors and the vaccine manufacturer. I also use resources like the Pharmacist Charter, where healthcare professionals can access peer-reviewed research and information.
The most important part of administering the COVID-19 vaccines will be determining eligibility.
For example, at the moment, we can only administer vaccines to those that the local and state government have considered eligible. For some counties, it may be just a select group of people, such as those over 65. If someone enters and is registered to receive the vaccine, but is not 65, I will need a prescription to administer it. Pharmacists should always keep local health guidelines and laws in mind. We should also consider the person’s medical history and current medications before giving the vaccine.
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We anticipate a high demand for the vaccine and our pharmacy is doing everything possible to prepare for it.
I offered to give patients the COVID vaccine as soon as it is available at our Safeway pharmacy. Volunteering to administer the vaccine was encouraged; however, we have the option of doing this or taking a turn at the store for someone else who has offered to give the vaccines. I received the first dose of Moderna vaccine on January 28 and I am scheduled to receive the second in late February.
During periods of high demand, such as the flu season, Safeway set up clinics outside the pharmacy to administer vaccines. I hope this is the case with the coronavirus vaccine as well, because people in line outside the store can become a problem of distance and flow. I still have other functions, like processing prescriptions and helping patients, so if the vaccine is given in our locality, there will probably be queues for some time.
In an email, a Safeway spokesman said, “During the pandemic, the communities we serve relied on our pharmacy teams to play a critical role in maintaining their health and well-being. At Albertsons Companies and Safeway, we consider immunizations to be an extremely important public service. Our pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are preparing to meet unprecedented demand and administer the COVID-19 vaccine safely and efficiently. We are deeply grateful for the way our teams have served their communities and taken care of your neighbors during these difficult times. “
The pharmacist’s identity was verified by Business Insider.