Pharmacy Daily | NSW flu vax expansion to kids from 2

PHARMACISTS in NSW can now administer the flu vaccine to children as young as two, with the NSW Government amending the NSW Pharmacist Vaccination Standards to allow for this expansion of eligibility.

There are no age restrictions for Queensland and SA pharmacists, while in other states and territories, the minimum age is five.

Prior to this, vaccinating NSW children younger than five for flu usually meant going to a GP.

"We want to make it as accessible and as convenient as possible for young children to receive their influenza vaccine ahead of a severe winter season," said NSW Minister for Health, Ryan Park.

"We know it can be difficult to find a GP, and we are taking pressure off of our GPs with this rule change," he said.

However, while broadly supportive of the role of pharmacists, the NSW branch of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has decried the move as a lost opportunity for GPs to address vaccine hesitancy.

"At AMA (NSW), we recognise the valuable role pharmacists play and we are fully supportive of measures to address declining vaccination rates, which have now become a national and international crisis," said board member and GP, Dr Michael Bonning.

"However, there is an avalanche of misinformation in the community on vaccinations and, as GPs, we have real opportunities every day to address the concerns of young families and allay their fears," Dr Bonning continued.

"This age group is one where the input of a trusted GP can make the difference between a child getting vaccinated or not."

Peter Guthrey, Senior Pharmacist, Strategic Policy & Advocacy with the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), believes the concerns are not warranted.

"Pharmacists have now become a really crucial part of the vaccinator workforce," he told Pharmacy Daily.

"In terms of training, like all health professionals, you need to be competent and skilled in the areas of practice that you work in.

"One of the things that I've been really proud to be part of is the vaccine workshops at PSA state conferences, where we have helped further extend the skills and competence of pharmacists in working through communication strategies around vaccination hesitancy and some of the challenges it can present," he said.

NSW PSA President Luke Kelly concurred, saying "All immunisers, no matter where they practise, have an important role to play in championing vaccination.

"We must all work together to combat vaccine misinformation and hesitancy, whether in General Practice or in an appropriate pharmacy setting.

"Reducing barriers to vaccination uptake should be a priority," Kelly added. KB