MOVES to activate close to 1,500 community pharmacies as COVID-19 vaccination sites over the next three weeks are being welcomed with a mix of joy and frustration.
With pharmacies in COVID hotspots across Sydney set to start administering vaccines early next week, Pharmacy Guild of Australia NSW Branch Vice President, Catherine Bronger, told ABC Radio's The World Today that pharmacists were struggling to understand why they were left on the sidelines for so long.
"This is where a bit of the frustration as a community pharmacist occurs, when you think, 'well if we're trusted to do it now in this high-risk environment, then we should've been trusted back in Mar when we could've played a much more proactive role'," she said.
Incoming Blooms the Chemist CEO, Emmanuel Vavoulas, confirmed that 17 of the group's pharmacies in NSW, Queensland and Western Australia have been activated to join the rollout in the coming weeks.
"Blooms The Chemist is pleased to be supporting the fast-tracking of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout," he said.
"Our local pharmacies, pharmacists and their teams are ready and waiting to support communities across the country to deliver the vaccinations in the fight against the virus.
"The addition of community pharmacies across the country in the vaccination rollout will provide millions of Australians the option to be vaccinated in their local pharmacy, supporting existing vaccination hubs and GPs."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Chemist Warehouse (CWH) told Pharmacy Daily that some of the group's pharmacies had already commenced administering COVID vaccinations.
"CWH is on track to have more than 40 pharmacies across Australia administering COVID vaccinations by the middle of Aug," the spokesperson said.
"A small number have already commenced, and more are scheduled to become active in the coming weeks across all mainland States at this stage.
"CWH pharmacies stand ready to assist this vital public health operation, and we expect more of our pharmacies to be involved in the months ahead in all parts of Australia.
"Just as CWH pharmacies have more than pulled their weight in influenza vaccination this flu season, so too will CWH serve our patients and the community by administering COVID vaccines wherever and whenever we are given the go ahead by health authorities across Australia."
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