REPORTAGE
Kick off Tuesday of the 2019 campaign against seasonal flu. As every year, the vaccine is free for at-risk populations, such as people over 65, pregnant women, diabetics or asthmatics. Despite this, more than one person at risk in two is not vaccinated. So to facilitate access to the vaccine, in addition to doctors, midwives and nurses, volunteer pharmacists can practice this act. After several experiments, the measurement is generalized.
Training for volunteer pharmacists
For this, pharmacists who wish can attend training. In Paris, they are ten that day to follow the advice of a trainer. After a few hours of theory, place to practice. If some have a little shaking fingers, this is not the case of Katia. Hands protected by latex gloves, it disinfects the skin of a manikin who will play guinea pigs, before getting ready to sting. "I purge to remove the air bubble inside," she says to begin. "Then, we hold the vaccine between the thumb, the index finger and the middle finger, and we are really going for it."
Breaking the image of pharmacists
Each vaccination will bring 6.30 euros to pharmacists. And according to the teacher of the day, Elise Haro-Brunet, almost half of them chose to be trained to practice this gesture. By vaccinating, pharmacists will "be seen as health professionals in their own right," according to her. "Which may not have been the case before." What to break the image of simple drug vendors that sometimes stick to pharmacists.
The volunteers even ask for more, since they aspire to practice other vaccinations than against the seasonal flu. Like being able to make reminders, or to vaccinate against measles in case of epidemic for example.