COMMUNITY pharmacies should have been activated to join Australia's COVID-19 vaccination (COVAX) rollout months ago, a Federal MP believes.
Australian Labor Party backbencher, Josh Burns, hit out at the Federal Government's COVAX campaign, noting the role pharmacies have played in accelerating vaccination programs around the globe.
With the vaccination rollout significantly behind schedule, Burns told the House of Representatives yesterday, "we should have well over 50% of our population vaccinated by now".
"We have an outstanding health network," he said.
"Look at the ways in which countries around the world have successfully rolled out the vaccines.
"They've used pharmacies, they've used mass vaccination clinics and they have procured as many vaccines as possible."
Burns said the Government had placed too much reliance on the AstraZeneca vaccine, initially turning down the offer of additional doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, while also putting too much of the burden of the COVAX rollout effort on GPs.
"They put all their eggs in the AstraZeneca basket, and now that AstraZeneca has had a change of medical advice we are stuck," he said.
"The Federal Government also decided to roll out the vaccines through the GP network.
"I know many GPs, and they have done an amazing job.
"GPs have done a full list of vaccinations on top of their usual roster of patients.
"They have worked their backsides off because they, as health professionals, feel a sense of responsibility and duty to vaccinate as many people as possible.
"I say unashamedly that we are so grateful to our GPs, but they have been forced to do the majority of the work when they didn't need to.
"Using mass vaccination clinics, community hubs and pharmacies, as well as procuring enough vaccines, could have supported them."
Meanwhile, a statement from National Cabinet said that "many more primary care providers, including community pharmacies, will be offered the chance to administer mRNA vaccines as the supply of Pfizer significantly increases and the first supplies of Moderna arrive in Sep/Oct".
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 23 Jun 21
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