Staying healthy post-pandemic: The power of vaccines beyond COVID-19
As we exit what we hope will be the worst of the COVID pandemic months, now is a great time to take stock and think about your health, especially if you’re someone living with HIV, want to proactively prevent illness, or have other immunocompromising and other health conditions.
Beyond getting your COVID-19 vaccine, vaccines are immensely effective at protecting you against common, preventable illnesses like HPV and Shingles, Hep A and Hep B, Tuberculosis and more.
Gardasil Vaccine for HPV (human papilloma virus)
The Gardasil vaccine is recommended for protection against human papilloma virus, or HPV. While most sexually active people will have an HPV infection at some time, and most infections are asymptomatic or cause genital warts, other variants of the virus may lead to more serious disease. The Gardasil vaccine is especially protective against anal and genital cancers, as well as cancers of the head and neck.
Who is Gardasil for?
Men who have sex with men (of any age), people up to 26 years old who are sexually active and women up to the age of 45.
How much does Gardasil cost? Is Gardasil covered in Ontario?
Gardasil is administered in 3 doses – each dose is about $200, so it costs about $600 to be fully vaccinated here in Ontario. Gardasil is free under Ontario’s High-Risk HPV Immunization Program for men up to 26 years old. Most private insurance plans will also cover the cost of Gardasil as prescribed by your doctor.
Shingrix Vaccine for Shingles
Shingles, is also known as herpes zoster virus. Nearly 1 in 3 Canadians develops Shingles in their lifetime. It occurs most frequently among immunocompromised persons and adults over the age of 50.
Shingles causes neuropathic pain and skin rashes in the middle of your body. Since treatment options for shingles are limited in effectiveness, vaccines are recommended. The Shingles vaccine is effective at reducing both the incidence of Shingles and complications from Shingles infection.
Who is the Shingles Vaccine for?
The Shingles vaccine is recommended for immunocompromised persons, including people living with HIV, and all adults over the age of 50.
Is the Shingles vaccine covered in Ontario?
Although the Shingles vaccine is recommended for adults over the age of 50, it is available for free only for adults between the ages of 65 and 70. Most private plans will cover the Shingles vaccine if you have a prescription from your doctor. Out-of-pocket, the Shingles vaccine is two doses at $150 per dose, for a total of about $300.
Other Routine Vaccines:
Are you up-to-date on your routine vaccinations? As things begin to open up and you’re ready to see your doctor (either in-person or virtually), ask them to check your vaccine schedule and make sure you are vaccinated against common infections such as:
Tuberculosis
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Meningococcal disease
Pneumococcal disease
Your doctor may recommend and prescribe a vaccine to bring you up-to-date. Read on to find out how you can get vaccinated at The Village Pharmacy.
Get vaccinated at The Village Pharmacy
You can get vaccinated for HPV, Shingles, and other common infections at The Village Pharmacy, for a small $20 fee. If you’re seeing your doctor virtually, you can have them fax your prescription directly to The Village Pharmacy, and we can administer the vaccine for you.
Pharmacists in Ontario are authorized to administer most vaccines, and all our pharmacists at The Village Pharmacy have completed the Injection Certification.
COVID-19 protocols are also in place to maintain the health and safety of our patients, staff and community at large.
Get in touch with us at The Village Pharmacy.
Ask us! If you have questions about these vaccines or any other health or medication issue, feel free to get in touch. We’re here for you at The Village Pharmacy.
Take good care and all the best,
Zahid.
Links:
Book a vaccine at The Village Pharmacy
Email your questions to The Village Pharmacy - Yonge St.
Call us anytime: 416-960-2323