LIMITED numbers of pharmacies in regional and rural parts of NSW will start administering COVID-19 vaccines (COVAX) from 19 Jul as part of a pilot program, however restrictions will apply.
Announcing the move to boost accessibility to COVAX in parts of the State where access to a GP or vaccine clinic is limited "due to geography", NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said 22 community pharmacists would be able to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine exclusively to patients aged 60 years and older.
"We know that some of these communities have limited local access to GP services and having these pharmacies involved will assist with the phased rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine to these communities," she said.
"This is a vital step to help ensure as many people in NSW as possible receive their COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible."
NSW Health said the pharmacies involved in the pilot were required to meet "certain standards", including that pharmacists "must not supply or administer the vaccine to a person who is under the age of 60, or a patient with a contraindication or precaution to vaccination".
"It is expected additional pharmacies will join the COVAX program in the future," NSW Health said.
"This also paves the way for pharmacies to further assist NSW in supporting the Commonwealth Government's rollout of COVID-19 vaccines."
The announcement follows calls from both the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) for community pharmacies to be activiated to join the campaign.
PSA National President, Associate Professor Chris Freeman, said community pharmacies were ideally placed to support the rollout (PD breaking news yesterday).
"With pharmacists now also covered by the Government's indemnity scheme, the solution is right under the Government's nose," he said.
"Governments need a patient-centric approach to put the community first.
"Pharmacists need to be activated now, so that as more supply becomes available, they are already on board and can be fully utilised to vaccinate in pharmacies alongside vaccinations occurring as part of the general practice network and vaccination hubs."
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