RSV shot now free for larger number of older Albertans
The provincial government announced in October it would provide the RSV shot, Abrysvo, for free to seniors 60 and up living in care homes and it would offer a limited supply to those 75 and up living in the community.
That age range is now expanded to include all Albertans 70 and up. And the province is also funding the vaccine for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Albertans who are age 60 and over.
The change came into effect on Monday.
"[For] all of our patients that come in, and I see they're eligible, I'm letting them know … because it's important," said Sarah Perez, the pharmacy manager at CurisRx Pharmacy in the Calgary community of Mahogany.
She's concerned many customers don't realize they're eligible for the provincially funded RSV vaccine.
And it's expensive, ringing in at about $290, she noted.
" A lot of people — even though they should get it if they had COPD or asthma — they just couldn't afford it. They're on a pension. So it's definitely really great that they're expanding it now," she said, adding a lot of seniors don't have private insurance and are on a fixed income
"If you've got to choose between buying groceries or getting this vaccine, you're probably going to pick the groceries."
According to Alberta Health, eligible seniors can receive the RSV vaccine at participating community pharmacies, approximately 20 medical clinics and 170 Alberta Health Services and First Nations health centres.
"Alberta's government expanded eligibility to ensure more Alberta seniors have access to the vaccine. Expanding eligibility ... ensures that those who are at higher risk for RSV complications have access to the vaccine free of charge," a spokesperson said in an email.
The provincial government is also lifting a cap on the number of pharmacies that can offer the shots to people living in the community, according to a bulletin for pharmacists. In the fall, it restricted distribution to approximately 500 drugstores due to limited supplies.
Now all pharmacies that offer provincially funded vaccines can add Abrysvo to their repertoire, the document states, though they are limited to ordering 10 doses at a time.
The Alberta government recommends the RSV shot be given two weeks before or after a flu or COVID-19 immunization.
According to Dr. Roger Wong, older people and infants are at higher risk of developing complications such as pneumonia from an RSV infection.
"[That] can have serious consequences in older adults, including hospitalizations and even sometimes leading to death. So therefore anything that we can do to protecting older adults would be considered important," said Wong, a clinical professor in geriatric medicine at the University of British Columbia.
"This particular vaccine … is an effective way of protecting older adults against serious infection that can be caused by RSV."
He's encouraged by the expansion of eligibility in Alberta, noting as people age their ability to fight off infection wanes. Many seniors also have underlying health conditions that amplify their risk, he said.
Funding the vaccine for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Albertans age 60 and up is also key, according to Wong.
"At a community or population level, we can provide an extra layer of protection.… So I'm very encouraged to see this development."
So far this respiratory virus season, 67 Albertans have died due to RSV, including 57 over the age of 60. There have been 2,124 hospitalizations and 190 ICU admissions.
Monitoring the impact, according to Wong, will be key moving forward.
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