Pharmacists' perceptions about providing COVID-19 vaccines in community settings

Abstract

Background: Community pharmacists were underutilized in Saudi Arabia. At the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, global healthcare systems experienced significant pressure. To combat the pandemic effectively, there was a need to involve other healthcare providers, such as community pharmacists. As a result, community pharmacists were enlisted to provide vaccines. Objectives: This study aims to explore community pharmacists' perceptions about providing COVID-19 vaccines in Saudi community settings. Methods: Ethical approval was granted by the Research Ethics Committee of King Faisal University in January 2022. A qualitative methodology was used to explore the opinions of community pharmacists. Semi-structured interviews were conducted via face-to-face qualitative interviewing. Participants were recruited purposively and represented different types of community pharmacy settings. Results: A total of 15 face-to-face individual interviews were conducted. The cohort included pharmacists who provided the service (n = 5) and those who did not (n = 10). The results showed that providing the service in a community setting was advantageous to patients, community pharmacy sector, and healthcare system. Moreover, the participants identified several barriers to providing the service. Conclusion: Although providing the service had several advantages to several parties, the identified barriers need to be considered for the service to be provided appropriately.

Keywords

• Community pharmacy
• Pharmacists
• Vaccinations
• Vaccines
• Immunizations
• COVID-19