STATE Premiers will be held accountable for the health and economic fallout of future COVID-19 outbreaks, if they do not engage community pharmacies in the vaccine rollout program.
Citing data published by the ABC showing Australia will not achieve herd immunity until Oct 2022 at the current vaccination rate, Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President, Trent Twomey, said it "defies logic not to use pharmacies" to boost uptake.
Speaking with Pharmacy Daily, Twomey said the decision to approve community pharmacies to administer COVID-19 shots, "sits firmly with the State Premiers" and urged them to follow Queensland's example in approving 56 rural pharmacies to take part in the campaign (PD 20 May).
"The Guild is losing patience with State Premiers," he said.
"And we will hold them personally responsible for the health outcomes, but also the economic damage of future lockdowns due to COVID outbreaks."
Twomey said that while mass vaccination sites that have been established by State Government "have a role" to play in the immunisation campaign, he said, "it makes zero logic, in fact it's riskier to enable mass vaccination centres before community pharmacies".
The Guild National President confirmed the Queensland Government had said it will look to expand the number of pharmacies involved in the COVID vaccination program once the initial 56 stores have started administering shots, which is due to happen by mid-Jun.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 26 May 21
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