Harrogate campaign: Community pharmacist says give chemists bigger role in vaccination rollout

Harrogate Advertiser says: Local pharmacies should play bigger role in the battle to deliver vaccine

The experienced pharmacist locum community pharmacist, who, during the first lockdown, revealed to the Harrogate Advertiser some of the challenges being experienced in the Harrogate district by these 'forgotten heroes' of the NHS, said the public much preferred to get their flu vaccines at the pharmacy and it was the same with Covid.

Speaking anonymously, the pharmacist said: "We're currently asked several times a day if we're going to be giving the Covid vaccine.

"We're also a lot easier for people to get to, unlike the mass vaccination centres being set up.

Our campaign, A Shot In The Arm - Let All Pharmacies Deliver The Jab - which is being supported by our sister titles across the country including the Yorkshire Post, is challenging the Government to ensure local pharmacies are fully involved in the vaccination programme against Covid.

Although not directly employed by the local primary care trust, community pharmacists' role of preparing and dispensing prescription medicine means they work closely with the NHS.

Talking to the Harrogate Advertiser, the community pharmacist said the recently approved AstraZeneca vaccine can be stored at the "normal" pharmacy fridge temperature for a lot longer than the Pfizer vaccine which was the first vaccine to be introduced last last year.

As a consequence, it would be eminently suitable for a community pharmacy setting.

The pharmacist said: "Like everyone, community pharmacy is still facing its own challenges, as we have done throughout this pandemic.

"From what I've seen, community pharmacy is more than willing to help out in the vaccination programme.

"Every year for some years now, we've been taking part in the annual flu vaccination programme and with a great deal of success.

"I've spoken to many members of the public over the years who much prefer to get their flu vaccines at the pharmacy rather than be herded "like cattle", as more than one person has said, at their GP's flu vaccination clinics.

"We're currently asked several times a day if we're going to be giving the Covid vaccine, for the same reason.

"We're also a lot easier for people to get to, unlike the mass vaccination centres being set up.

The pharmacist continued: "Some of the coronavirus vaccines do present a specific challenge due to their storage requirements.

"The Pfizer (and I think also Moderna) vaccine has to be stored at extremely cold temperatures until not long before administration.

"Once it's brought up to "normal" fridge temperature, it's only got a limited number of days life, so is probably best used when a known number of people are going to be getting it.

"As far as I'm aware, the more recently approved AstraZeneca vaccine can be stored at the "normal" pharmacy fridge temperature for a lot longer and would be eminently suitable for the community pharmacy setting.

"There's an already established reporting system which pharmacies use to send flu vaccination reports to GPs, so it'd be easy enough modiy that to use for Covid vaccination too, I would think."

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