DELAYS in activating community pharmacies as COVID-19 vaccination (COVAX) sites are "baffling" McKell Institute Executive Director, Michael Buckland, believes.
Launching the McKell Institute's The missing link: How pharmacies can accelerate Australia's vaccine rollout, Buckland urged the Federal Government to "pull out all the stops" to engage community pharmacies as soon as possible.
The report noted that as of 12 Jul, 65 pharmacies were administering the vaccines, just 3% of the 2,000 that the Government had targeted in its original COVAX roadmap, while close to 4,000 pharmacies have been approved by the Department of Health.
"The Government now understands we are in a war against COVID-19, so it's baffling it's been so slow to deploy one of our most powerful divisions -- the nation's pharmacies," he said.
"The vaccine supply issues have been resolved, but it's not much good having the ammunition if you don't get it into the hands of people who know how to use it.
"Recent moves to accelerate the use of pharmacies in the wake of lockdowns are welcome.
"But in reality the Government shouldn't rest until every one of the 4,000 eligible Australians pharmacies is administering vaccinations on a daily basis.
"It's natural to focus on conscientious objectors as an impediment to Australia's vaccine rollout, but the evidence indicates the administrative difficulties people face are a bigger problem.
"Making jabs available at the local pharmacy would go a long way to fixing this.
"Although it's strange that the pharmacies have been under-utilised to date, the important thing now is that the government moves swiftly to get all 4,000 delivering vaccines immediately.
"We all want to see the back of lockdowns, and if the Government moves swiftly it will save us all two months and $12 billion."
The report noted that expanding the number of pharmacies administering COVAX could accelerate the program by up to 56 days, compared to the current situation, with Buckland suggesting 80% of the adult population should be immunised by Christmas, if all eligible pharmacies were to be activated.
The McKell Institute report added that having 4,000 pharmacies activated could result in 7.6 fewer days at risk of lockdown.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 19 Jul 21
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