[ad_1]
For the first time this year, select pharmacies can also offer flu shots. This is aimed at increasing the vaccination rate. But family doctors remain skeptical even after the start of the first model project.
By Simone Blaß, SR
Aline Neu, owner of the Allee pharmacy in Heusweiler-Holz in Saarland, is one of 20 pharmacists in Saarland who can get a flu shot. He previously completed a nine-hour training course: three hours of online theory and six hours of practice. However, she feels well armed: “In the theory of this webinar, they gave us detailed basic information about vaccination,” he says. Today for the third time he gets the flu vaccine.
Ulrich Napp signed up. For the 34-year-old, the offer is one thing above all: no fuss: “I didn’t have to make an appointment far in advance or sit in the waiting room for long,” he says. “I just let them know that I would like to come get vaccinated and now I don’t have to worry about that.”
Model project in Saarland
As part of a model project in Saarland, specially trained pharmacists can vaccinate against the flu. The basis for this is the measles protection law that came into effect in March. The project of the AOK and the Saarland Pharmacists Association aims to reach the youngest people, but also people who are currently very afraid of a corona infection and therefore avoid crowded waiting rooms. In addition to the Saarland, the project is also offered in Düsseldorf, Essen and Duisburg.
Criticism of the doctors
But availability is a problem for doctors. Dr. Michael Kulas, president of the Saarland Family Physicians Association, considers nine hours of training to be too short. “Until he gets there and is allowed to vaccinate, a doctor has completed training, including specialized training. That is usually twelve years of training,” he says. “A medical assistant to whom we can delegate vaccination has at least three years of training with additional vaccination modules.”
The risk of side effects is too great. Even if severe cases are extremely rare, a pharmacist is far from qualified if anaphylactic shock occurs during vaccination, for example.
Not intended for high risk patients
Susanne Koch, president of the Saarland Pharmacists Association, emphasizes that the offering is intended primarily for healthy, younger patients, not high-risk patients. The aim is to significantly increase the vaccination rate through the low threshold offer in Germany. This has already been achieved in other countries. In Switzerland, Canada and Ireland, for example, significantly more patients had been vaccinated against the flu since they were able to receive the vaccine at the pharmacy. In addition, the pharmacists also had a strong scientific background and good basic medical knowledge.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a doctor or a pharmacist, everyone is battling a vaccine shortage. An additional 5000 cans were ordered for the model project in Saarland, but they too should soon run out.
