Assessment of Satisfaction with Pharmacist-Administered COVID-19 Vaccinations in France: PharmaCoVax

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 vaccines are among the most effective measures to reduce serious illness and death from infection with the highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 virus. To improve vaccine accessibility, pharmacists in France have been authorized to administer COVID-19 vaccinations since March 2021. This study aims to assess satisfaction among French people receiving their COVID-19 vaccination from a community pharmacist. Methodology: The PharmaCoVax study was conducted in French community pharmacies from 16 March to 30 June 2021. Interested pharmacists completed an online participation form, giving them access to the self-administered questionnaire. People receiving a pharmacist-administered COVID-19 vaccination completed this questionnaire in the pharmacy. Results: Among the 442 pharmacists involved, 123 actively participated in the study. Overall, 5733 completed questionnaires were analyzed. A proportion of 59% (n = 3388) of those who received a pharmacist-administered COVID-19 vaccination had previously received their influenza vaccination, most often in the same pharmacy (n = 1744). Only 24% (n = 1370) of people visiting a pharmacy had tried to obtain their COVID-19 vaccination elsewhere. Satisfaction was excellent with a rating of 4.92 out of 5.00, and the net promoter score was 93. Conclusions: The pharmacist-administered COVID-19 vaccination service was overwhelmingly appreciated by users. The trust placed in pharmacists may explain the desire to have them perform additional vaccinations.

Differences in Demographics of Vaccinees, Access to, and Satisfaction with SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Procedures between German General Practices and Mass Vaccination Centers

“…However, our results also indicate that access to vaccination centers, especially in rural areas, might put specific population groups at a disadvantage (e.g., those with restricted mobility or lower income). By including GP practices and medical specialists, and later pharmacies [53,54] and mobile vaccination centers (e.g., busses), in the national vaccination campaign, better access to vaccines has been achieved, especially for vulnerable groups, which potentially enhanced vaccine uptake in these groups. For future mass vaccination events, we therefore recommend quickly including both centrally located mass vaccination centers and an appropriate number of decentrally located vaccination sites, such as GP practices, pharmacies, or small, widely distributed vaccine centers in different residential areas.…”

Proposal for a shared definition of « primary healthcare » by health professionals: A national cross-sectional survey

“…Pharmacists are another profession concerned by these redistributions of roles. In France, they are now able to vaccinate against the flu and were able to vaccinate during the COVID-19 pandemic [ 12 ]. Other professionals could perceive a shift in what they were expected to do.…”

Knowledge of Community Pharmacists in Saudi Arabia Regarding Human Monkeypox, Its Management, Prevention, and Vaccination: Findings and Implications

“…In addition, current evidence shows that authorizing pharmacists to provide immunization and vaccination services helps to improve vaccination coverage and address the barriers, including addressing vaccine hesitancy and correcting misinformation about the roles of vaccines, their efficacy, and safety [40,45,48,49]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, community pharmacists played a key role in administering COVID-19 vaccines with high patient satisfaction rates alongside generally providing education and advice to the public [44,[50][51][52][53][54]. In Saudi Arabia, in 2019, the updated executive regulations of the Practice of Health Professions Law allowed community pharmacists to provide immunization services, including the administration of vaccines [55].…”