At last week’s COVID news conference, getting a booster didn’t seem like a big deal. A few days later though, people are having a heck of a time getting an appointment.
Government reduced the gap time between the second and third doses to 22 weeks from 24 but trying to get a shot in the metro region is no easy chore.
People were left with the impression from government last week that pharmacies were at the ready to give the booster. Not so. The availability of boosters in our drug stores is dependent on them have sufficient supply. Not all do but the ones that do are attracting long lineups, up to two hours at Shoppers Drug Mart on Lemarchant Road.
Long line at Shoppers Drug Mart on Lemarchant, people waiting to get the third dose of the Covid-19 vaccine booster shot. @VOCMBen @VOCMNEWS pic.twitter.com/FvJnJkyTun
— Gerri Lynn Mackey (@GerriLynnMackey) December 20, 2021
The Pharmacists Association of Newfoundland and Labrador met with Health Minister John Haggie this morning and has been assured that some vaccine was received and distributed over the weekend with another large shipment due tomorrow. PANL is asking people to be patient.
As for the public health clinics, The one at the Village does not currently have any available appointments to book a third jab.
Global supply chain issues are behind some of the delays in acquiring booster doses for adults in Newfoundland and Labrador, but Health Minister John Haggie believes issues securing our share of the federal supply have been resolved.
Minister Haggie says some shipments have arrived with more on the way. He says 20,000 doses arrived on Friday and another 107,000 doses are expected to arrive Tuesday morning.
Haggie says part of the challenge was in securing the total number of needed vaccines appropriate to each age group. He says because people under the age of 29, including children 5 to 11 are recommended to take Pfizer, they had to ensure that the right dosages and vaccines were available.