COVID-19 vaccine delays hit some pharmacies as Alberta's immunization launch nears

Some Alberta pharmacies won't get theirCOVID-19 vaccine shipments in time for the kickoff ofthe fall immunization campaign on Tuesday, creating yet another hiccup in the program's rollout.

The Alberta government recently announced COVID and influenza immunizations would begin on Oct.15.

As CBC News has reported, community medical clinics are not getting the vaccines because there is no distributor in place for those deliveries.

And now some pharmacies say they'll be waiting longer than expected for their initial shipments.

"If there's something the pandemic has taught us is that you should wait until it's in your fridge to really believe it," said Mathieu Giroux, pharmacy manager at Cambrian Pharmacy in Calgary.

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He was expecting to have his first allotment of the COVIDvaccine in house and in refrigeration by now.

He has the influenza vaccines already but he can't even order the COVID shots until next week.

"For the first week we'll have to do just flu shots and rebook everyone for a second appointment," he said.

It's a similar story at the Bridgeland location of Lukes Drug Mart.

"We don't have any. We were supposed to have it so we could start on Tuesday along with flu shots," said pharmacy managerDavid Brewerton.

Different pharmacies are allowed to order on different days, according to Brewerton, and he's expecting to be able to submit his order on Tuesday, with vaccines arriving on Wednesday.

Giroux's ordering day, on the other hand,is Thursday. So he's not expecting his first batch of COVID shots until Friday.

Larger chains, such as London Drugs, appear to be having better luck.

"We've been able to receive both vaccines," said Chris Chiew, vice-president ofpharmacy andhealth care at London Drugs.

According to Chiew, online bookings are open and all of the company's 23 Alberta locations will be ready to start administeringboth shots on Tuesday.

"The stores are prepping them up right now to make sure they're actually ready to go."

He said staff at stores in Calgary and Edmonton are starting to receive shipments or already have them in place.

Loblaws, which owns Shoppers Drug Mart,saidit doesn't foresee a problem with beginning the immunization campaign on time, either.

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The provincial government toldCBC News it ordered 1.9 million doses of the updated COVID-19 shots.

So far, 840,440 doses have been delivered to pharmacy wholesalers.

But a spokesperson acknowledged there have been delays.

"Across the country, there have been delays in receiving COVID-19 vaccine shipments from the manufacturers," said a statement from the health minister's office.

"Alberta Health prioritizes the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine for outreach immunization providers in continuing care settings"

The province saidthree pharmacy wholesale distributors will have COVID-19 deliveries in place for the Oct.15 launch of the immunization campaign.

However, shipments from one of the main distributors, McKesson,will take longer.

That distributor is expected to have its first shipments to pharmacies in placeby the end of the week (Oct.18), the spokesperson said, adding flu vaccine deliveries are not delayed.

CBC News reached out to McKesson for comment but did not hear back before publication time.

According to the provincial government, COVID-19 vaccine supplies usually arrive in stagesover a six-week period.