COVID-19 Tasmania: community pharmacists 'waiting' for vaccine green light

On Thursday federal Health Minister Greg Hunt announced residents across regional Queensland would be eligible to receive an AstraZeneca vaccine from one of 56 selected community pharmacists.

It comes after last month's national cabinet agreement to allow state and territories to choose how they incorporate pharmacies into their roll-out plans, in rural and remote areas with "no or limited" places to access the vaccine.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia state branch president Helen O'Byrne said about 100 Tasmanian pharmacists had been approved through the federal government's expressions of interest process to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine, including 40 in rural and remote areas.

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However, she said it now sat with the state government to determine which ones would be utilised.

"At the moment it's entirely in the state government's hands to make that decision about how pharmacies will be involved," she said. "There are definitely parts of Tasmania that aren't being serviced, as far as getting access to the COVID vaccine.

"It might be very prudent of them [government] to look at the rural, regional and remote pharmacists that have had their expressions of interest approved and are ready and willing to vaccinate.

"Especially if it is going to provide better access for our vulnerable communities."

Mr Hunt said discussions remained ongoing with other states and territories.

The Tasmanian Health Department were contacted for comment.

Queensland is the first state to bring forward the use of community pharmacies, which were originally due to commence from Phase 2a of the rollout.

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