REGINA As health officials in Saskatchewan celebrate Regina’s success in flattening the curve of COVID-19, a second parallel public health crisis is spiralling out of control. Apparent overdoses have claimed 53 lives this year, according to the Regina Police Service (RPS). Four of the deaths occurred in a three-day period over the weekend. “They are more than numbers. They are people and it represents a huge loss to their families and also to out community,” said RPS spokesperson Elizabeth Popowich. There have been 608 suspected overdoses where 911 has been called this year, according to police data – though not all overdoses are reported to police.
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Posted: May 12, 2021 12:22 PM CT | Last Updated: May 12
Pharmacy technician Heron Roach prepares doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a temporary clinic at the Woodbine racetrack and casino, in northeast Toronto, on May 5, 2021.(Evan Mitsui/CBC)
(Lisa Schick/980 CJME file photo)
But what happens when appointments at pharmacies are cancelled?
Dawn Martin, the CEO of the Pharmacy Association of Saskatchewan, said some people are getting on the waitlist at several different pharmacies, then taking the first shot they can get. That could even be at a government-run drive-through or walk-in clinic.
She said that’s a completely fine thing to do, but it does lead to some logistical issues for the pharmacies to work through.
“There are very clear standards about how pharmacies then will try to find folks to use those doses (on),” Martin said Monday.
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As soon as Robin Sander’s shipment of vaccine arrives, the clock starts ticking.
Once the precious vials of Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine move from the ultra-cold freezer to the fridge, it has to be used within 120 hours before it expires. That window shrinks to six hours once it’s diluted and ready to administer.
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Sander, the owner and manager of two Pharmacy First locations in Saskatoon, said that means every appointment counts as more and more pharmacies join the province’s inoculation drive.