Pharmacist's Perspectives on Administering a COVID-19 Vaccine in Community Pharmacies in Four Balkan Countries.

Adina Turcu-Stiolica,Maria Kamusheva,Sofia Šesto,Maria Bogdan,Mihaela-Simona Subtirelu,Marina Odalović,Emili Terzieva,Klejda Harasani,Andreea-Daniela Meca,Svetlana Stojkov,Guenka Petrova,Jasmina Arsić,Ivana Tadic

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.766146

Abstract

Community pharmacists expanded their roles and engaged in vaccination services in many countries around the world, but not in Balkan countries. This research aimed to assess the perceptions of pharmacists on involvement in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine administration in four Balkan countries (Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia). A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online questionnaire that was distributed to community pharmacists across these countries between February and March 2021. A total of 636 community pharmacists were included in the analysis of the survey. The willingness to administer vaccines for COVID-19 (or other vaccines well established in the practice, like a flu vaccine) in community pharmacies is significantly different among the countries: the pharmacists from Albania were more willing to administer vaccines. The factors associated with the eagerness to vaccinate are almost the same among the countries: the lack of training in the faculty classes and the lack of a special place where to administer vaccines. Additional significant factors were found in Bulgaria (pharmacists from independent pharmacies wanted more than the pharmacists working in chain pharmacies to administer vaccines) and in Serbia (male pharmacists agreed more with administering vaccines than female pharmacists). Further national reforms are needed for adopting the expanding role of community pharmacists.

Highlights

After declaring the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as a pandemic on March 11, 2020, WHO requested a collaboration among different countries and healthcare workers even though the global medical system faced multiple challenging novel responsibilities [1]
The pharmacists from Albania were younger and less experienced than those from Bulgaria, Romania, or Serbia
The beliefs of pharmacists about how the vaccination service should be paid or free of charge are significantly different, Romanian pharmacists agreed more than from other countries that this pharmaceutical service must be covered by national health insurance funds (Q5–Q7 items)

Summary

Introduction

After declaring the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as a pandemic on March 11, 2020, WHO requested a collaboration among different countries and healthcare workers even though the global medical system faced multiple challenging novel responsibilities [1]. Pharmacists have been involved worldwide in public health during this past year’s pandemic through pointof-care testing services and by ensuring medication counseling, access, and optimization [2, 3]. They have received greater authority from several governments all around the world to aid overcrowded hospitals [4]. The role of community pharmacies in vaccination has exceptional success in countries like Argentina, the United States of America, Australia, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, and United Kingdom, suggesting that pharmacists can play a greater role in improving vaccination coverage [12, 13]. To manage vaccination services and ensure occupational safety, community pharmacies require flexibility and clarity in establishing workflows and basic infrastructure [1, 2]

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