PEI

6 pharmacists on P.E.I. ready to start taking COVID-19 vaccine appointments

The P.E.I. Pharmacists Association is ready to help with the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged 18-29 who work in the food service industry on the Island.

People aged 18-29 who work in food service can make appointments starting Thursday

There are currently 2,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine available to the six P.E.I. pharmacies taking part in this stage of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

The P.E.I. Pharmacists Association is ready to help with the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged 18-29 who work in the food service industry on the Island.

Six pharmacies will start taking appointments Thursday, with 2,000 doses currently available.

Erin MacKenzie, executive director of the P.E.I. Pharmacists Association, says one pharmacy will be in the east (Montague), one is in the west (O'Leary) and Charlottetown and Summerside will each have two locations participating.

As more of the vaccine comes into the province, distribution will expand to more pharmacies, she said.

"The allocation of doses is heavily slanted toward those centres where we would probably see a higher concentration of that demographic that we're trying to target — at the same time, trying to make it, you know, equitable for people that do live in those other parts of the Island."

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'We've asked that anyone who is interested in booking to please go to the government website,' says P.E.I. Pharmacists Association executive director Erin MacKenzie.

MacKenzie said the vaccine doses will be administered by the end of the month. If supply becomes low in one area, there will be an option for the young food service workers to go to another area to get a shot.  

The list of the pharmacies and instructions on how to book an appointment can be found here. Anyone wanting a vaccine must have a Prince Edward Island health card in order to qualify. 

No walk-ins will be allowed for this vaccine. 

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With files from Angela Walker