How High Vaccine Demand And Labor Shortages Are Affecting Pharmacies

As Omicron infections continue to spread around the nation, vaccine demand is soaring. Along with labor shortages that continue to plague workplaces, ABC News reports that employees are becoming fatigued, and pharmacies are reportedly closing.

The daily change in vaccinations reported by the CDC on Dec. 2 was 2,181,735, the biggest daily total since May.

According to Florida pharmacist Theresa Tolle, “there’s crazy increased demand on pharmacies right now.”

The Food and Drug Administration reported that there are over 100 drugs currently in shortage, which include heart medications, along with cancer drugs and antibiotics.

"Between rollouts of COVID-19 vaccines for children, boosters, and seasonal flu shots – on top of their other existing patient care services – pharmacies are stretched very thin, while patients need them more than ever," National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) CEO B. Douglas Hoey said. “Pharmacists have worked heroically throughout the pandemic so to have insurance middlemen push so many of these small business owners to the edge is troubling.”

The FDA has stated that ​​it “continues to take steps to monitor the supply chain.”