SNOHOMISH, Wash. — Neighborhood pharmacies like Kusler's Compounding Pharmacy are already a critical part of the global effort to extinguish COVID-19, and they are preparing for a surge of patients as vaccine eligibility expands.
“This has been a project of love for all of us,” said Dawn Ipsen, a pharmacist and owner of Kusler's.
Kusler's was among the state's first pharmacies to offer the vaccine.
“We're giving up every moment of time we possibly have. The staff all stayed late on New Year’s Eve after we closed, and we toasted with apple cider, and we started training that night,” Ipsen said.
Every ten minutes, another patient takes a seat in the Kusler’s COVID vaccination clinic, a tiny room next to the counter where patients drop off and pick up their medications.
On Monday afternoon, as Gov. Jay Inslee announced the expansion of people eligible to get the vaccine to those 65 and older, Kusler’s opened slots for 60 more doses.
“I won't be surprised if they're booked in 30 minutes,” Ipsen said. “It's been tremendous.”
She and her staff are relying on a team of volunteers to help keep up with the constant flow of patients.
“If I could take a week off from work and just do it every day I would,” said Dr. Jennifer Lush, a naturopathic physician who volunteered to administer shots Monday.
Ipsen's daughters also volunteer by cleaning and sanitizing the vaccine room between patients.
Operations like Kusler’s will be necessary for nearly every zip code to get as many people as possible vaccinated in the coming months.
Inslee said on Monday about 2,400 pharmacies have signed up to be part of the vaccination effort in Washington.
“I think by the time we get adequate vaccine supply out there, pretty much every pharmacy in every community is going to have vaccine,” said Jenny Arnold, CEO of the Washington State Pharmacy Association.
Kusler's has an edge. They’re used to giving vaccines for flu and whooping cough.
And the pharmacy, opened in 1967, has a close relationship with Snohomish County health officials, a critical link for getting doses and planning for the next shipments.
“We're continuing to add availability, we're only putting out a few days at a time because we want to make sure that our shifts are well-filled, that vaccine is getting into arms, that no doses are ever wasted, so we're kind of keeping things pretty tight, but continuing to monitor, and (opening) more things up over time,” Ipsen said.
Kusler’s is telling patients to keep checking their website for additional slots in the coming weeks.
They fill up fast, but there's more on the way.