ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — It took a pandemic for the provincial government to reverse a decision it made three years ago — at least temporarily.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association (NLMA) announced Wednesday doctors can once again bill MCP for administering the shots this fall, making the service free for patients.
In 2017, the province eliminated the fee it paid to doctors for vaccinations. At the time, the NLMA showed internal Eastern Health documents indicating about 25 per cent of patients who get their shots from a doctor would not transition to community health clinics.
“Increasing our influenza vaccination rate will help alleviate the burden on our health-care system, which will require surge capacity to deal with a possible second wave of COVID-19,” NLMA president Dr. Lynette Powell said in a statement Wednesday.
“While a flu shot will not protect you from COVID-19, it will protect you from getting influenza, which causes more than 12,000 hospitalizations and 3,500 deaths in Canada each year.”
Powell said the association is not giving up its fight to make the reversal permanent.
“The NLMA also remains committed to advocating for the permanent reinstatement of MCP coverage for the influenza vaccination,” she said. “We need to permanently increase the province’s low influenza vaccination rate, not just during COVID-19.”
Pharmacists can also administer the shots.
The Department of Health is expected to release guidelines for its fall vaccination program, which will also involve pharmacists, in the coming days.
Clinics typically open in late October.