Vast Majority of Pharmacists Plan to or Have Been Vaccinated Against COVID-19, APhA Survey Finds

95% Also Say They Are Comfortable Addressing Patients' Concerns About the Vaccine

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Jan 21, 2021, 10:50 ET

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 9 in 10 pharmacists said they plan to or have been vaccinated against COVID-19, in a survey conducted last week by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). Of these, 51% said they had received one dose, 10% had received two doses, and 31% planned to get it as soon as it is available.

When asked about their readiness to administer the vaccine, 41% of pharmacists surveyed said they were already administering it, 38% said they would be able to administer it as soon as it is available, and 17% were preparing to administer the vaccinations and would participate in future phases of the vaccine delivery program.

The survey also found that 95% of respondents are comfortable addressing patients' concerns about the vaccine, and 79% said staffing in their pharmacy practice is adequate to offer the vaccine.

This is the third survey of pharmacists that APhA has conducted about the COVID-19 vaccine since September 2020. In each successive survey, an increasing number of pharmacists said they planned to be immunized, manage the logistics of handling the vaccine, and would administer it to their patients.

"The rising rates of pharmacists' confidence in the vaccine and their planned participation in vaccination activities demonstrates that pharmacists are ready, willing and able to protect Americans against the coronavirus," said Scott J. Knoer, executive vice president and chief executive officer of APhA. "Approximately 400,000 pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy interns have been trained for precisely this moment, and we're ready to do the job."

APhA conducted the survey of 570 pharmacists from January 9-16, 2021. The respondents work in a broad, diverse range of practice settings, with a majority of respondents practicing in community-based settings, and in every region of the nation. The margin of error for this survey is plus or minus 4.1% at the 95% confidence level.

About the American Pharmacists Association

The American Pharmacists Association is the largest association of pharmacists in the United States advancing the entire pharmacy profession. Our expert staff, and strong volunteer leadership, including many experienced pharmacists, allow us to deliver vital leadership to help pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians find success and satisfaction in their work, while advocating for changes that benefit them and their patients. For more information, please visit www.pharmacist.com.

SOURCE American Pharmacists Association