Pharmacy Daily | Pharmacy hits 5 million COVAX mark

COMMUNITY pharmacies across Australia have delivered more than one million doses of COVID-19 vaccines (COVAX) in the last two-and-a-half weeks to reach the five million dose milestone, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia reports.

Guild National President, Trent Twomey, noted that there has been a sharp acceleration in the pace of the COVAX rollout through pharmacies in recent weeks, with the sector hitting the three million dose mark on Christmas Eve, followed by the four millionth shot administered on 18 Jan.

"This is an extraordinary achievement, over a relatively short period of time," he said.

"The many thousands of pharmacies delivering these vaccinations are to be congratulated on their contribution to the fight against COVID.

"Today, as we see many aspects of our life resuming closer to normal, we have our pharmacists and pharmacy assistants to thank.

"They have worked tirelessly including through the Christmas-New Year period to deliver vaccinations, over and above their other daily responsibilities.

"Our trusted, highly professional community pharmacies are leading in our national effort to get back to normal -- or at least to a 'new normal'."

Meanwhile, the number of people eligible to receive booster shots is set to increase over the coming days, following new recommendations from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) that individuals aged 16 and 17 years can receive an additional shot three months after their second dose.

ATAGI has recommended a booster vaccination with 30 micrograms of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for anyone aged 16 and 17 years - including those who were 15-years-old when they received their primary doses.

In a statement released this morning ATAGI estimated that as of 01 Feb approximately 65% of 16 and 17-year-olds would be eligible for the booster.

ATAGI has also recommended that severely immunocompromised patients in the 16 to 17 years cohort who have already received a third dose of the vaccine should be given a booster three months after their last shot.