Pharmacy Daily | Pharmacy called in to rescue Sydney

COMMUNITY pharmacies in Sydney's COVID-19 hotspots are set to start vaccinating this month, but some pharmacists are concerned that restricting supplies to the AstraZeneca (AZ) shot could limit their capacity to immunise patients.

Speaking to Pharmacy Daily two Pharmacy Guild of Australia NSW Branch Committee members, Catherine Bronger, and Mario Barone, who operate stores in areas hit by the State's lastest outbreak, welcomed the decision to activate pharmacies as vaccination sites, but expressed their frustration at the short lead-in time and that they will not receive stock of the Pfizer vaccine.

"Although it's good, it would've been nice to have more notice to prepare and now [we have to] prepare at the last minute in these conditions, it's challenging," Barone said.

"It's kind of like the boat's sinking and we [pharmacists] need to save it... we think it's great [to be vaccinating], but at the same time you need to prepare and get yourself ready.

"At the moment it's only AZ [that we'll be getting], because that's all we're approved for in NSW as pharmacists, which is ridiculous - I understand that Pfizer's restricted - but it doesn't make sense for us not to be doing Pfizer as well."

Barone noted challenges facing pharmacists in the latest outbreak zones include communicating messages about the vaccines to patients from diverse multicultural backgrounds, with English a second language for many.

"You're having to overcome massive vaccine hesitancy and then overcome AZ hesitancy on top of that vaccine hesitancy in a different language... it's going to be a challenge," he said.

"I think the doctors know that, and the doctors are trying their best to do this, but a lot of them in those areas have shut their doors to patients and they're going completely to telehealth."

Bronger, whose Wetherill Park pharmacy has had 10 positive cases come through the doors, said colleagues in the area believed they could have immunised a significant proportion of the local population had they been activated two months ago, as planned, rather than being asked to do so in the middle of a crisis, without access to the Pfizer vaccine.

"It's hard enough getting people to vaccinate, but then not having all the options available in a non-English-speaking area that's high-risk is nonsensical," she said.

"When you're trying to alleviate vaccine hesitancy, it's better to give them the one they know they want, but as a pharmacist to be vaccinating and to have one hand behind your back [not having access to the Pfizer vaccine] makes it even more challenging."

Both Bronger and Barone praised the efforts of pharmacy staff who have had to adjust to new workflows including restricting access to their stores for patients, in addition to new three-day COVID testing requirements for essential workers in the area.

See tomorrow's edition of Pharmacy Daily for more.