PHARMACEUTICAL Society of Australia (PSA) National President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, expects State and Territory Governments will engage pharmacist immunisers during Phase 1a and 1b of the COVID-19 vaccine (COVAX) rollout.
Acknowledging Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt's commitment to having community pharmacists administering COVAX from Phase 2, Freeman told Pharmacy Daily that PSA would continue to assist State and Territory Governments with their plans to rollout and distribution of vaccines.
"We would also expect that pharmacists as authorised immunisers will be utilised by State and Territory Governments during phase 1a and 1b to rollout the vaccine in State and Territory vaccination clinics, in aged care, and potentially within general practice led clinics," he said.
"This will need to be an all hands on deck approach therefore utilising pharmacists as authorised immunisers makes sense in multiple settings."
Freeman noted that pharmacist immunisers will be required to undergo additional trainining before being eligible to administer COVAX, however details as to how the training will be funded have yet to be confirmed.
"It is our understanding a provider has been commissioned to develop nationally consistent COVID-19 training for all vaccinators including pharmacists," he said.
"Implementation of this training is currently being worked through."
Meanwhile, Freeman added the Australian Technical Advisory Group of Immunisation had yet to issue its guidance for the rollout of the seasonal influenza vaccine, which could coincide with the COVAX campaign.
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