The provincial government wants people to get their flu shots this year and is making it easier for people to do so.

In the coming weeks, government will roll out plans to start administering flu shots in the province’s long-term care facilities and schools.

Health Minister John Haggie made the announcement at yesterday’s weekly COVID-19 update.

That’s in addition to flu shots being offered free to the public through the province’s pharmacies. the executive director of the Pharmacists’ Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, Jennifer Collingwood, says the public can expect to see some changes this year due to COVID-19 public health guidelines.

She says pharmacists are ideally situated to help government meet its flu vaccination goal rate of 80 per cent this year.

Officials want to avoid a double pandemic of flu and COVID-19. The provincial government will also offer free public flu vaccine clinics this fall.

COVID Clinic Set Up at Janeway, No Plans for Testing in Schools

Meanwhile, a new COVID-19 drive-thru clinic has been set up at the Janeway Hospital in St. John’s.

Minsiter Haggie confirmed the development during the weekly provincial COVID update yesterday.

He says if it’s not already up and running, it will be very soon.

In the meantime, Haggie says there are no plans at this time to provide COVID testing in the province’s schools.

The matter of rapid testing was discussed at this week’s meeting of federal provincial and territorial health ministers. Haggie says according to Health Canada, there has been no movement in terms of rapid testing kits being licensed, so they will continue, for the time being, with the system they currently have in place.