Covid-19 booster program discussed at national cabinet
Scott Morrison has announced a change to Australia’s booster program following a snap national cabinet meeting.
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Scott Morrison has announced a change to the Covid booster shot program as the health system struggles to roll out Australians’ third doses.
The Prime Minister on Wednesday declared that General Practitioners and Pharmacists would receive $10 extra from the federal government for administering the booster shot.
“I can announce that I have advised the premiers and chief ministers today that we will be increasing the payments to GPs and pharmacists,” Mr Morrison said.
“We'll be increasing them up by $10 a jab.”
Pharmacists are now expected be reimbursed around $26-29 per jab while GPs will received $27-$50.
The announcement follows months of frustration from Australia pharmacists over the “insufficient” original rates of pay offered to pharmacists of $16-$19 per booster dose.
The Pharmacy Guild of Australia told NCA NewsWire that the reimbursement form the federal government only covered a fraction of the costs involved in administering the booster shots.
“The reason that so many pharmacies have chosen not to take up the stock of Pfizer for the booster doses is because of the remuneration being offered by the federal government,” Pharmacy Guild of Victoria President Anthony Tassone said.
“Pharmacists are essentially subsidising the Australian government's booster dose program.”
In addition to the extra cash for Pharmacists and GPs, the Prime Minister said the state vaccination hubs would be reopened to help propel the booster rollout forward.
“We are now doing boosters at at a rate of around 100 per minute. And we will see that continue to increase as as we go forward,” Mr Morrison said.
More to come.
Originally published as Covid-19 booster program discussed at national cabinet
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