A national seniorsSA国际影视传媒� rights groups says the NWT isnSA国际影视传媒檛 doing enough to promote vaccines for the elderly other than those for Covid-19.

In its second annual report on vaccine strategies across the country, CanAge awarded the NWT a letter grade of D for its strategy, the same score the territory received last year. Most notably, the NWT received an F for vaccine accessibility, particularly for its purported failure to promote or fund the shingles vaccine.

In a summary of the grade, the report acknowledges the challenges faced by the northern territories in making vaccines accessible, especially in remote communities.

SA国际影视传媒淲hile all territories face additional challenges with providing health care to rural and remote communities, this is all the more reason to start making moves to fund required vaccines and distribute them as widely as possible,SA国际影视传媒� the report reads. SA国际影视传媒淭he Northwest Territories should follow YukonSA国际影视传媒檚 lead, and must expand coverage to remove financial barriers to uptake, enhance access points, and better communicate the benefits of immunization for adults SA国际影视传媒� all tangible actions we recommended in 2021. Evidently, this year, the Government of Northwest Territories has instead chosen inaction.SA国际影视传媒�

Each jurisdiction receives separate letter grades from CanAge for funding, accessibility and public awareness.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 one thing to fund it, but if no one can get it, then itSA国际影视传媒檚 not very helpful,SA国际影视传媒� CanAge president Laura Tamblyn Watts said of vaccine accessibility.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Services didnSA国际影视传媒檛 respond to a request for comment in time for publication. However, in a letter to CanAgeSA国际影视传媒檚 director of policy and research, Andr茅 Corriveau, the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 deputy chief public health officer, said the GNWT wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 properly consulted on the report before it was published.

He also said the report doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 properly take into account widespread obstacles faced in the North.

SA国际影视传媒淟ogistics, infrastructure and the vast distance between communities are familiar challenges to those of us who deliver services in the North,SA国际影视传媒� Corriveau wrote. SA国际影视传媒淚t is unfortunate that the CanAge report does not acknowledge those challenges.SA国际影视传媒�

He also pointed out that the territory was docked points because pharmacists do not offer vaccines at pharmacies, despite the fact that this is illegal in the NWT.

SA国际影视传媒淔urther, many Northwest Territories communities do not have pharmacies,SA国际影视传媒� he wrote.

He said the Shingrix shingles vaccine was recently added to a list of publicly-funded vaccines, specifically for those ages 65-70 and with certain comorbidities.

Tamblyn Watts said the report doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 address the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines because response to the pandemic is constantly evolving, and because other organizations are tracking the rollout. However, she saidjurisdictions all across the country can apply lessons from the Covid vaccine rollout to other vaccines.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople want to get vaccinated, and if you make it easy for them to get vaccinated, they will,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

The co-administration of vaccines can also be used to promote inoculation, she suggested.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou could go and get your influenza vaccine, which is an annual one, and also get your, say pneumonia vaccine, which is one time, at the same time.SA国际影视传媒�

The full report card is available on CanAgeSA国际影视传媒檚 website.