QUEENSLAND'S State Government is being urged to take advantage of the pharmacy workforce to support a rapid rollout of a COVID-19 vaccine should one become available.
Pharmacy Guild of Australia Queensland Branch President, Trent Twomey, said health officials need to prepare a plan now to ensure rapid and equitable access to the vaccine, noting that pharmacists in the State had played a key role in boosting influenza vaccine uptake in recent months.
"Rapidly deploying a COVID-19 vaccination in will require all primary healthcare professionals to join forces and work together to protect vulnerable community members during a time when they are most at risk," he said.
"Ongoing collaboration and coordination between the Queensland Government and health professionals is essential."
"Queensland's Chief Health Officer, Dr Jeannette Young, has previously expressed how important it will be for the COVID-19 vaccine to be available to everyone and distributed as quickly as possible, including through local community pharmacies.
"She has acknowledged that community pharmacists are ready and mobilised to vaccinate.
"The Guild asks the Queensland Government to use the strengths of community pharmacists to rapidly and safely deploy vaccines.
"After the largest flu vaccination season ever, community pharmacists stand ready and waiting to continue administrating vital vaccines."
Twomey also called for any future COVID-19 vaccine to be subsidised through the National Immunisation Program (NIP), with pharmacists being given access.
"All healthcare professionals should be equally subsidised through the NIP when providing the same service and give all patients the opportunity to choose the most convenient healthcare option for them at any given time," he said.
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