COVID-19 Vaccine (COVAX) Taskforce National Coordinator, Lieutenant General John Frewen, has been awarded the Pharmacy Guild of Australia's Distinguished Service Medallion.
The award was presented by Commonwealth Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, at the Guild's annual dinner at Parliament House in Canberra last night.
Butler said Frewen played an important role in boosting vaccination rates, particularly by bringing community pharmacies into the rollout.
"There was no more accessible place for Australians to go for health advice and their vaccine during the pandemic than their local community pharmacist," Butler said.
Guild National President, Trent Twomey, also praised Frewen's decision to use pharmacies as part of the vaccination rollout, describing it as being pivotal in helping to maximise uptake of the vaccines.
"Since Lieutenant General Frewen made that decision and community pharmacies began vaccinating for COVID-19 in Jul last year, we have delivered some 9.5 million doses to patients across the country," Twomey said.
"That's 9.5 million doses helping Australians protect themselves against this virus and remain healthy or minimise the effects of the virus if they contract it.
"The accessibility of community pharmacies and the fact they are open later and longer has meant that patients have been able to get their vaccination easily and when it suits them.
"Lieutenant General Frewen recognised this and saw the pivotal role community pharmacies could play.
"It was one of the most significant health policy decisions we saw during the pandemic."
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