Crystal Pharmacy 麗晶藥房

11/19/2025

細心，專業，詳盡
蕭宏毅藥劑師(台灣):
從藥劑師角度為你提供最科學性的維他命及保健品資訊

11/07/2025

We will be closing on Nov 11th, Tuesday, Remembrance Day. Sorry for the inconvenience
我們會於11月11日, 星期二, 陣亡將士紀念日休息. 不便之處, 敬請原諒

10/15/2025

2025-2026 Flu/COVID-19 vaccination information

2025-2026 Flu/Covid vaccination season is now open for booking, earliest start day at Crystal Pharmacy is on Oct 16th

There are 4 types of government-funded flu vaccines this year: Fluad, Fluzone, Fluviral, and Flumist. Fluad contains an adjunct that enhances the vaccine's effectiveness in creating antibodies, and is reserved ONLY for those aged 65 and older. Fluzone and Fluviral are available to children aged 6 months to 65 years and older (note: the pharmacy can only provide vaccination to children 4 years and above). Flumist is the only flu vaccine in nasal spray format and is reserved only for children with a severe anxiety against injections. After vaccination, it usually takes two weeks for the flu vaccine to take effect and its effect lasts for around six to eight months.

This season's COVID-19 vaccines (Comirnaty by Pfizer, Spikevax by Moderna) is different from last year's. This year's formulation targets the new variant LP8. Like the flu vaccine, it takes two weeks to take effect and its effect lasts for around six months.

Both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines are very safe, and can be injected simultaneously at the same appointment.

Thank you for your support, every year Crystal Pharmacy experiences several times higher volume of phone calls/walk-in inquiries during the October-November vaccination season. To avoid overcrowding, we recommend:
- Unless it's necessary, let seniors and those with special health needs book appointments during the first 2 weeks of vaccination campaign (Oct 16 to Oct 24)
- If you call us but cannot get through, please try to call us at a later time. Or if no one answers, please leave us a message
- Please note community pharmacies can only provide free vaccinations to British Columbians. Non-BC residents can find a pharmacy that offers self-pay vaccines or contact their local municipal health units.
- The easiest way to book appointment with us is to go to the provincial government website. https://www.getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca or call the hotline at 18338382323. Of course, you can call us at 604433282
- As per BC Health Ministry, all Flu/Covid vaccination data must be registered on a provincial data base. Hence, please do not book your flu/COVID-19 vaccine appointments through the our Crystal Pharmacy website

10/15/2025

2025-2026 流感/新冠肺炎疫苗資訊

2025-2026 流感/新冠疫苗接種季現已開放預約，麗晶藥房最早開始接種日期為 10 月 16 日。

今年政府資助的流感疫苗有四種：Fluad、Fluzone、Fluviral 和 Flumist。 Fluad 含有一種增強疫苗產生抗體效果的輔助劑，僅供 65 歲及以上人士使用。 Fluzone 和 Fluviral 適用於 6 個月至 65 歲及以上的兒童（注意：社區藥房只可為 4 歲及以上兒童提供疫苗接種）。 Flumist 是唯一一種鼻噴劑形式的流感疫苗，僅供對注射有嚴重焦慮的兒童使用。接種疫苗後，流感疫苗通常需要兩週才能生效，效果持續約六至八個月。

本季的新冠疫苗（輝瑞的 Comirnaty 和 Moderna 的 Spikevax）與去年不同。今年的疫苗針對的是新型變異株LP8。與流感疫苗一樣，疫苗起效時間為兩週，有效期約六個月。

流感疫苗和新冠疫苗都非常安全，可以在同一預約時間同時注射。

感謝支持，每年10月至11月的疫苗接種季節，麗晶藥房的電話/上門查詢流量都會增加數倍。為免人滿為患，我們建議：
- 除非必要，先讓長者和有特殊健康需求人士在疫苗接種活動的前兩週（10月16日至24日）預約接種。
- 如果致電我們但無法接通，請嘗試稍後再致電。如果無人接聽，請給​​我們留言。
- 請注意，社區藥局只能為BC省居民提供免費疫苗接種。非BC省居民若想接種流感/新冠疫苗, 需自行尋找有提供自費疫苗接種的藥房，或聯絡當地市政衛生部門。
- 預約接種最簡單的方法是登入BC省政府網站 https://www.getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca 或致電該網站熱線 18338382323。當然，致電我們 604433282 預約也可以
- 根據卑詩省衛生部的規定，所有流感/新冠疫苗接種資料都必須在省級資料庫中註冊。因此，請勿透過我們 Crystal Pharmacy 網站預約接種流感/新冠疫苗。

10/08/2025

09/29/2025

We will be closing on September 30th (Tuesday) for Reconciliation Day. Sorry for the inconvenience.
我們會於9月30日(星期二)Reconciliation Day休息. 不便之處, 敬請原諒

09/22/2025

2025-2026 Flu/COVID-19 vaccines Forecast
- The British Columbia government is expected to begin distributing vaccines to pharmacies, clinics, and community health centers in mid-October.
- Community pharmacies can only provide free vaccinations to British Columbians. Non-BC residents can find a pharmacy that offers self-pay vaccines or contact their local municipal health units.

Thanks for your support, Crystal Pharmacy receives several times more than usual phone calls and walk-in inquiries during the October-November vaccination season. To avoid overcrowding, we recommend:
- Unless it's necessary, let seniors and those with health needs book appointments during the first 2 weeks of October
- If your call to us cannot get through or no one answers, please leave us a message.
- British Columbians seeking appointments can call us at 6044332821, the provincial government's vaccine hotline at 18338382323, or the government website. https://www.getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca/s/
-Please do not book your flu/COVID-19 vaccine appointments through the our Crystal Pharmacy website.

We will share more information when we get closer to mid October

09/22/2025

2025-2026 流感/新冠肺炎疫苗預告
- 預計10月中旬BC省政府開始派供應給藥房, 診所, 社區衛生中心
- BC省民可免費接種
- 社區藥房只能提供免費苗給BC省民, 非省民須找有提供收費疫苗的藥房, 或致電所居住的衛生中心

承蒙支持, 麗晶藥房每年10月至11月的疫苗注射季節都會有被平常多幾倍的來電/到本店查詢, 為避免過度擠擁, 建議貴客們:
- 若非緊急, 先讓長者或有健康需要者優先預約
- 若致電本店時電話不通或無人接聽, 請留言
- BC省民想預約我們, 可電本店6044332821, 或省政府疫苗熱線18338382323或政府網站 https://www.getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca/s/
- 請不要在麗晶藥房網站預約流感/新冠疫苗

有最新消息時再與大家分享

08/30/2025

We will be closing on September 1st Labor Day (Monday). Sorry for the inconvenience
我們會於9月1日勞工節(星期一)休息. 不便之處, 敬請原諒

08/27/2025

Should I get Shingles vaccine?
(above image from https://www.shingrix.ca/en-ca/index.html)

What is Shingles?
Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus, which also causes chicken pox. As one ages and immune defense goes down, the virus remaining in the body from a past chicken pox infection may come out as shingles. The average lifetime risk for shingles is around 30%, most often occurring in people aged 50 or over. As one becomes older, the higher risk for shingles and the longer and severity the pain. The risk for getting shingles before age 85 can be as high as 50%.

Symptoms of Shingles
Shingles causes a painful rash (often across the torso) lasting 7-10 days and usually takes 2-4weeks to completely heal. The main symptom is severe pain, often described as “electrifying” or “burning”. Very rarely, it may cause pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, meningitis or death. One out of every five patients with shingles may have prolonged nerve pain that persists after the acute infection, called “post-herpetic neuralgia” (PHN). Shingles is not contagious, although exposure to shingles can cause chicken pox in someone who has not had chicken pox or been vaccinated against it. It is important to see your physician or pharmacist as soon as possible, preferably within 48 hours when shingles infection is suspected. Prescription antiviral medication, such as Valacyclovir, can be prescribed to halt the infection. Over the counter analgesic such as Tylenol or Advil often not effective against the post-herpetic neuralgia. If the post-herpetic neuralgia becomes unbearable, doctor can prescribe anti convulsant medications such as Gabapentin for neuralgia pain relief.

Shingles Vaccine (Shingrix)
Shingrix, available since 2018, can achieve an efficacy of more than 90%. It requires 2 injections, with the second shot given within 2-6 months after the first shot. If a vaccinated person still gets shingles, these products also reduce the severity of pain and the risk for PHN.

Possible Reactions After the Vaccine
The shingles vaccine is very safe; some possible reactions include pain, swelling, itching, or rash at the injection site. A small percentage of people may experience low grade fever on the night after receiving the vaccination

People experiencing an acute shingles infection also should not receive the vaccine, as your body will already be providing temporary antibodies against the Shingles virus. Vaccination at this stage will negate the benefit of the vaccine, also the vaccine does not treat shingles. One should wait at least one year before consider Shingles vaccination.

Health Canada recommends all eligible people aged 50 or over to receive this vaccine. Shingles vaccine is non prescription, feel free to book an appointment with us online/by phone/in person. However, if you have third party insurance that may cover Shingrix vaccine, then your insurance may need a prescription from your physician for coverage.

Disclaimer: Crystal Pharmacy and writer did not receive any honorarium for writing this article

08/27/2025

帶狀皰疹疫苗: 您需要接種嗎?
(以上圖片來自https://www.shingrix.ca/en-ca/index.html)

帶狀皰疹是什麼?
帶狀皰疹又稱生蛇、皮蛇，是一種疼痛的病毒性皮疹。若您過去曾經罹患水痘，帶狀皰疹病毒可能潛伏在神經系統裡，過了多年甚至幾十多年後，隨著年紀增長及免疫功能下降，於中年或老年時發作。人一生中罹患帶狀皰疹的機率可達三成，多發於50歲及以上人群。愈是年長者，罹患機率則愈高，疼痛也愈劇烈與持久。一個人在85歲之前罹患的機率可高達五成。

帶狀皰疹的症狀
帶狀皰疹通常出現在臉部或身體單側，通常伴發水泡，持續二到四週。主要症狀是疼痛，許多人形容成「如遭電擊」、「如火燒」。在極罕見的情況下，帶狀皰疹感染可能導致聽力問題、失明、肺炎、腦膜炎或死亡。在感染患者中，每五人有一人可能在皮疹痊癒後繼續遭受嚴重疼痛，也就是帶狀皰疹後遺神經痛。帶狀皰疹不會傳染，但是沒得過水痘或接種過水痘疫苗者若是接觸到帶狀皰疹，則有可能得到水痘。得到帶狀皰疹者須盡可在黃金48小時就醫；醫生或藥劑師可以為您開口服殺病毒藥(如VALACYCLOVIR)去停止感染. 至於帶狀皰疹後遺神經痛, 非處方止痛藥如TYLENOL或ADVIL通常效果不大, 如疼痛十分難受, 可請醫生開專門針對神經痛的止痛藥(如GABAPENTIN)

帶狀皰疹疫苗 (Shingrix®)
2018年上市的Shingrix疫苗可以達到90%以上的預防效果，一共兩針，第二針是在第一針之後的2-6個月內施打。如果接種Shingrix後仍然感染帶狀皰疹，則可減輕患者的疼痛，並減低後遺性神經痛的風險。

疫苗有什麼風險嗎?
疫苗相當安全：對疫苗的一般反應包括注射部位出現疼痛和紅腫、發癢或出疹。有小部分人在接種後當天晚上出現發低燒徵狀, 這些徵狀通常維持一到三天。

正在患有急性帶狀皰疹者不適合接種，因為在感染期間身體已經會短暫生產抗體, 若在此時接種, 便會白白浪費疫苗. 另外, 疫苗的作用在於預防，並不是治癒。目前尚無研究此疫苗對於曾得過帶狀皰疹者的預防效果，因此加拿大衛生部尚無推薦此族群接種；但由於帶狀皰疹是有可能復發的病症，所以若有得過皰疹者希望接種，在感染一年後也可安全施打。

加拿大衛生部建議所有 50 歲或以上人士接種。帶狀皰疹疫苗不需要醫生處方，但如有第三者保險可申報的話, 則建議請醫生開處方. 歡迎透過我們的網站/電郵/電話與我們預約注射時間

聲明: 麗晶藥房及筆者沒有因此短文接受任何藥廠的利益

07/31/2025

We will be closing on August 4th (Monday), BC Day. Sorry for the inconvenience.
我們會於8月4日(星期一), BC日休息. 不便之處, 敬請原諒