More than 100 Northern NSW chemists will get Covid vaccines from next week

They were approved months ago, but pharmacists across Northern NSW still haven’t received their doses, and waiting lists are just getting longer.

Northern NSW pharmacies accredited to administer Astra Zeneca Covid vaccines are still waiting for their doses. (Photo by MOHAMMED ABED / AFP)

Update Thursday, 4.30pm: The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) welcomed the announcement from the Prime Minister that all approved community pharmacists will finally be permitted to vaccinate against COVID-19.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Morrison announced that all approved community pharmacies will be able to request AstraZeneca vaccinations from Monday, July 26.

PSA National President, A/Prof Chris Freeman, said pharmacists around the country welcomed the news.

“Today is the day that we have been waiting for and PSA is pleased that pharmacists will finally be able to fully contribute to the vaccine rollout,” he said.

“PSA has been working tirelessly with all governments to secure maximal pharmacist involvement since the vaccine rollout commenced.”

Original story: Hundreds of chemists in Northern NSW are approved to enter the Covid vaccination program, but are still waiting for doses to get jabs in arms.

Pharmacist John Black represents the North Coast in the NSW Committee, Pharmacy Guild of Australia, and he said 1250 pharmacies were approved to be part of the Covid vaccine rollout out of 1800 pharmacies in NSW.

“My estimation is that there are more than 100 chemists between Tweed and Port Macquarie waiting for the doses to arrive,” he said.

Two Northern Rivers chemists will start offering Astra Zeneca Covid vaccines from next week as part of a pilot rollout for small rural communities with only one pharmacy.

Mr Black, who owns McDonald’s Pharmacy in Casino, said there was no specific date for many other Covid-approved pharmacies to receive their first doses.

“On July 12, premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that pharmacies would be entering the rollout, with permission to vaccinate Astra Zeneca for people over 60, and people over 40 with consent,” he said.

“The national cabinet approved the use of pharmacies in May; this has been dragging out since May.

“The rollout to pharmacies has been focused on Western Sydney, and there are another 49 in Queensland.

“In my own pharmacy in Casino, we have been accepted, we have a vaccination room, we have two accredited vaccinators, I have the patients ready to be vaccinated because they come daily and ask for it, but the vaccine is the problem.”

Pharmacist John Black, front, with staff at Macdonalds Pharmacy in Casino in 2017.

He hoped to hear from health authorities within the next month on when he may be receiving doses for his pharmacy, as his sector could be a valuable asset to vaccinate thousands of residents.

“Out of 6000 pharmacies in Australia, 4000 are approved to vaccinate,” he said.

“Pharmacies will become vaccinations hubs, because 97 per cent of the population in Australia live within 2.5km from a community pharmacy.

“Our network will be a big assistance to the rollout.

“The pharmacy sector has been frustrated about its involvement in the rollout, because we were given approval in April but we are still to receive the vaccines.

“Last year, there were 450 million individual visits to pharmacies in the country, and that gives us the opportunity to talk about vaccine hesitancy, which has been a problem,” he said.

Mr Black said pharmacies can help get most Australian vaccinated quickly.

“In 2020, we administered four million flu vaccine doses in Australia in a three-month window period,” he said.

“Imagine what we could do in six months with the Covid vaccine.”

“In the USA, 88,000 pharmacies rolled out more than 90 million vaccines.”

The Northern NSW Local Health District and Healthy North Coast confirmed they were not involved in the pharmacy vaccine rollout.