Pharmacies nationwide are struggling to meet demand for COVID-19 booster shots amid a shortage of pharmacists, Roll Call reported Dec. 15.
About two-thirds of COVID-19 vaccines are administered in a pharmacy, according to estimates from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. At the same time, about 70 percent of pharmacists are struggling to fill staff positions, a recent survey from the National Community Pharmacists Association found.
Independent and retail pharmacies across the country are urging people to make appointments for vaccines, rather than coming during walk-in hours, to stay organized amid the intense workload.
The heavy workload is also fueling burnout among pharmacists. Husein Ghrouf, PharmD, a former pharmacist at a CVS location in New York City, said he was working more than 80 hours a week before he quit his job in October because of burnout.
"Right now, all the pharmacies are rejecting people that are walking in for the booster and telling them to make an appointment. Before, it was never really like that," Dr. Ghrouf told Roll Call. "But right now it is, because we don't have the extra help. ... What they're doing is just putting that workload on regular staff."
CVS aims to hire 20,000 more people, including some pharmacists or pharmacy technicians, Mike DeAngelis, senior director of corporate communications at CVS, told Roll Call. The company is also working to implement more consistent breaks for pharmacists.
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