The Pharmacy Guild of Australia has welcomed the decision by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) to lift the eligibility for COVID-19 vaccination winter boosters.
The Acting National President of the Guild, Nick Panayiaris, said the decision would help manage the current rise in people contracting the virus.
"This is a pragmatic decision and one which the community pharmacy sector stands ready to help eligible patients take advantage of," Mr Panayiaris said.
"Community pharmacies already have administered more than 7.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines and this is a reflection of the trust communities across Australia have in their local pharmacy.
"Most pharmacies also are open longer hours and at weekends so patients can easily access the vaccine.
"There are 6000 community pharmacies in Australia and in capital cities, 97 per cent of people have access to at least one pharmacy within a 2.5km radius, while in the rest of Australia 66 per cent of people are within 2.5km of a pharmacy.
"This access is critical in helping Australia achieve maximum uptake of the winter booster under the new arrangements."
The new arrangements are:
- Adults aged 50 to 64 years are now recommended to receive a winter booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
- Adults aged 30 to 49 years can elect to receive a winter booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, however the benefit for people in this age group is less certain.
- The interval recommended between the first booster dose (or recent COVID-19 infection) and a winter booster dose is now 3 months.
ATAGI emphasises that people previously eligible for a winter booster dose remain at higher risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19 and should receive a winter booster dose as soon as possible.
They include:
- all adults aged 65 years or older
- residents of aged care or disability care facilities
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 years or older
- people who are severely immunocompromised (this will be their 5th dose)
- people aged 16 years or older with a medical condition that increases the risk of severe COVID-19 illness
- people aged 16 years or older with disability, significant or complex health needs, or multiple comorbidities which increase the risk of a poor outcome.
Mr Panayiaris said the new arrangement would come into effect on Monday but eligible patients could get their booster earlier if they booked.
"I recommend people go to Find a Pharmacy or contact their local pharmacy to make a booking and get their winter booster as soon as possible."
