VACCINATIONS: PHARMACY GETS GREEN LIGHT!
As the COVID-19 vaccination programme continues its roll-out, PiF looks at the various ways in which the vaccines have been hitting the headlines…
A
s the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause millions of infections and over a million deaths across the world,
vaccination is increasingly seen as the most effective – if not only – means of controlling the pandemic.
To date, the Northern Ireland vaccination system has been progressing under a twin-track approach, involving the seven regional vaccination centres and GP practices, but now, as of 3 March, the Health & Social Care Board (HSCB) has confirmed that the vaccination programme for community pharmacies is to begin before the end of the month.
‘The proposed start date,’ HSCB Pharmacy Lead, Kathryn Turner, confirmed in her letter to community pharmacists across the province, ‘is dependent on the supply of the Astra Zeneca (AZ) COVID-19 vaccine and when sufficient stock becomes available, as well as finalisation of the cohorts for vaccination based on latest advice from the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
‘The situation is rapidly changing but we now anticipate that the start date for the service will be mid to late March 2021. Due to the short timescales to implement the service, we will be issuing some resources to contractors based on the expression of interest submissions. Any contractors who haven’t yet expressed an interest but decide to provide the service at a later date will receive these resources in due course.’
In her letter, Ms Turner also gave pharmacists advice as to how to operate the service.
‘Contracted pharmacies will be required to have in place a robust booking system,’ she said, ‘whether manual or automated, to book appropriate numbers of patients into each COVID-19 vaccination clinic. Booking appointments on a per multidose vial basis is critical to ensure vaccine waste is minimised.
‘Patient information will then be required to be entered into the Regional Vaccination Management System (VMS). Initial Astra Zeneca vaccines supplied for use in the community pharmacy service will be 4ml multidose vials and patients will need to be booked in multiples of eight. A further appointment for a second dose
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