Allison Hill, PharmD, RPh, emphasizes that it is not too late for flu vaccination and highlights how pharmacists can address vaccine fatigue.
In an interview with Pharmacy Times, Allison Hill, PharmD, RPh, director of professional affairs at the American Pharmacists Association, discussed the ongoing importance of influenza vaccination, the expanding role of pharmacists in immunization efforts, and practical strategies to address vaccine fatigue, coadministration, and access barriers. Drawing on her background in community pharmacy, Hill emphasized that it is not too late in the respiratory virus season for patients to benefit from flu vaccination, noting that influenza and other respiratory viruses often continue circulating well into January and February.
Hill underscored that vaccines remain the most effective defense against vaccine-preventable diseases, even amid widespread vaccine fatigue following recent years of heightened immunization messaging. Although national surveillance data—such as millions of influenza cases, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and thousands of deaths—are critical for pharmacists to understand, Hill stressed that patient counseling should go beyond statistics. Instead, pharmacists should focus on individualized, emotionally resonant messaging that helps patients stay healthy, avoid hospitalization, minimize missed work, and protect vulnerable loved ones, including older adults and those with chronic conditions.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of vaccine coadministration. Hill explained that administering influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines during the same visit is clinically acceptable when indicated, provided proper administration techniques are followed. She noted that many patients prefer to experience potential adverse effects in a single day rather than spread vaccines over multiple visits.
Finally, Hill addressed insurance coverage and access challenges, particularly for RSV vaccination. Although most CDC-recommended vaccines are covered for insured patients, pharmacists play a critical role in identifying coverage options and assisting uninsured or socially vulnerable patients. She encouraged pharmacy teams to take extra steps to verify eligibility and coverage, reinforcing that lack of insurance knowledge or access should not prevent patients from receiving recommended vaccines.
