WITH Victoria's roadmap to recovery laid out by Premier, Daniel Andrews, the State Government is being urged to implement small business support packages that extend to community pharmacies.
Welcoming the winding back of restrictions across the state, Pharmacy Guild of Australia Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, told Pharmacy Daily that many businesses had suffered through the COVID-19 lockdown, and would need assistance to ensure their continued viability.
Tassone said many retailers in CBD locations and large shopping centres had been "crippled" by the restrictions imposed during the second wave of the virus, with pharmacies far from immune to the "devastating economic impacts that this pandemic has inflicted".
"The Victorian Government, through the State Budget must be ready to support small businesses to recover from this pandemic, and that includes pharmacies even though they were permitted to open during the restrictions," he said.
With the permitted worker scheme coming to an end at midnight tonight, and the 'ring of steel' around Melbourne set to be lifted from 08 Nov, Tassone called for borders to be reopened.
"We are one state again, but now it is time to become one nation again, and lift border restrictions between our states and territories," he said.
"The border restrictions have made it very difficult for regional pharmacies to arrange locum pharmacists and for pharmacy owners residing in Victoria to visit pharmacies they may own interstate.
"Victoria has been separated from the nation for long enough.
"Victorians have done our bit.
"We crushed the second wave and there should be every effort by the other states to open their borders to Victoria as soon as possible."
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 27 Oct 20
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