Since the roll out of the vaccination programme pharmacies have been in the process of visiting over 450 care homes where they have been delivering the vaccination to residents and staff.

In addition they will also be holding clinics to provide a convenient and accessible way for those eligible to obtain the protection offered by these vaccines.

NI Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Cathy Harrison visited Woodbourne Pharmacy in Belfast recently where she received her vaccination and urged all those eligible to come forward and receive theirs.
She said: “Pharmacies are once again playing a major part in the roll out of vaccines alongside their colleagues in GP surgeries and Trusts.

“This year over 300 community pharmacies across Northern Ireland are offering flu and COVID-19 vaccination to everyone aged 50 and over as well as frontline health and social care staff, pregnant women and carers, offering these groups a convenient and accessible way to avail of the protection offered by vaccination.

“I urge everyone eligible to take up the offer of vaccination. Getting vaccinated is free, quick, and it could make a big difference to your health and the health of those close to you.”

More than 300 community pharmacies are being mobilised across Northern Ireland to assist with the delivery of winter vaccinations for Covid 19 and flu.

Since the roll out of the vaccination programme pharmacies have been in the process of visiting over 450 care homes where they have been delivering the vaccination to residents and staff.

In addition they will also be holding clinics to provide a convenient and accessible way for those eligible to obtain the protection offered by these vaccines.

NI Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Cathy Harrison visited Woodbourne Pharmacy in Belfast recently where she received her vaccination and urged all those eligible to come forward and receive theirs.

She said: “Pharmacies are once again playing a major part in the roll out of vaccines alongside their colleagues in GP surgeries and Trusts.

“This year over 300 community pharmacies across Northern Ireland are offering flu and COVID-19 vaccination to everyone aged 50 and over as well as frontline health and social care staff, pregnant women and carers, offering these groups a convenient and accessible way to avail of the protection offered by vaccination.

“I urge everyone eligible to take up the offer of vaccination. Getting vaccinated is free, quick, and it could make a big difference to your health and the health of those close to you.”

The post Community pharmacies playing their part in vaccination roll out first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Speaking after getting her Covid-19 booster jab at a community pharmacy today, Cathy Harrison said: “This weekend presents a fantastic opportunity to get vaccinated. For anyone not yet vaccinated, it’s not too late. Community pharmacies are providing first and second doses to anyone over 18, as well as booster jabs for those who are eligible.

“This weekend will see some 50 community pharmacies across Northern Ireland ramping up their Covid-19 booster vaccination push with a series of additional clinics on Saturday and Sunday. Some pharmacies will be offering walk-in clinics, while others are taking bookings.”

A list of pharmacies participating in the Big Jab Weekend is available on the Department of Health website at https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/publications/big-jab-weekend-pharmacy-list.

Pharmacies will have their own local arrangements and opening hours in place. People should check the pharmacy’s social media channels or contact their local pharmacy for details and updates. Details may change in response to demand and local circumstances.

Booster programme

The programme in pharmacies will complement the ongoing booster provision by a network of Health Trust hubs, Trust walk-in clinics, pharmacies and GPs. In line with current criteria, boosters are being offered to:

• people aged 50 and over who had their second doses at least three months ago;
• 40-49-year-olds who had their second doses at least six months ago. Eligibility for 40-49-year-olds will be gradually widened in the coming weeks reducing to the recommended three month interval.

The Health Trust hubs are also offering first and second doses to the 12 and over age group. Participating community pharmacies are likewise providing first and second doses to the 18 plus age bracket.

Information on the locations and opening times of the Health Trust vaccination hubs are available on health trust websites and on NI Direct.

The Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI, Gerard Greene, said: “Throughout the pandemic, the community pharmacy workforce has gone above and beyond to support people across Northern Ireland and have played a vital role in rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine.

“Pharmacies are ideally placed in the heart of communities and provide a very accessible option for people – I would encourage people to come forward for vaccination this weekend and get that all important protection that vaccination provides.”

Caption: Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Cathy Harrison receiving her Covid-19 booster jab from pharmacist Garth Newberry

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“Alongside vaccination and contact tracing, testing is one of the main pillars of protection against the virus,” the Health Minister said.

“1 in 3 people who have COVID-19 have no symptoms, or are pre-symptomatic. The introduction of the Pharmacy Collect service will significantly increase the range of locations that people who require rapid tests can access them.

“The service supplements the existing workforce testing schemes and other community collect sites, which can all be found using the Sitefinder website.

Invaluable contribution

To date 420 pharmacies in Northern Ireland have signed up for the scheme.

Rapid COVID-19 tests – known as Lateral Flow Device (LFD) tests – have an important role in detecting asymptomatic cases. This means people who are infected but are showing no symptoms and may be unwittingly passing the virus on to others. Testing twice a week and on a regular basis with LFDs increases their detection rate. LFD tests are effective at picking up those who are most infectious.

Rapid tests are available for anyone who requires them. All results should be reported. Where someone receives a positive test, they should immediately self-isolate and book a confirmatory PCR test.

Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer said: “The contribution of community pharmacy teams to the COVID-19 pandemic response has been invaluable and the introduction of the new Pharmacy Collect service will improve access to testing for the general public.

“This is another step forward to people getting their normal lives back. Many people with COVID-19 have mild or no symptoms, but they can continue to spread the virus. Rapid tests, in conjunction with the wearing of masks, regular hand washing and social distancing, can help to prevent onward transmission of the virus.”

Rapid test packs can be ordered free online for free delivery to your home. https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests

You can also order them for collection in a number of locations across NI: Find where to get rapid lateral flow tests – NHS (test-and-trace.nhs.uk)

It’s important to report your result from your LFD test in all cases regardless of your result. This will help our health service monitor the virus most effectively. https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result

Pictured launching the Pharmacy Collect service for rapid COVID-19 tests are (L-R) Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Cathy Harrison; Health Minister Robin Swann; Pharmacist Ryan McCullough, and Vice-Chair of Community Pharmacy NI, Peter Rice.

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Following the ‘BigJabWeekend’ the Health Minister Robin Swann has said “The number of participating pharmacies offering vaccination appointments will be expanding.”

Vaccination by appointment is available at around 50 participating pharmacies. More pharmacies will be joining the programme. Further details on pharmacy bookings are available on the Health and Care NI website

http://www.healthandcareni.net/pharmacy_rota/Covid_Moderna_Vaccination_Pharmacies.html

Roll out

Health Minister Robin Swann has welcomed an expansion of the community pharmacy COVID-19 vaccination service with the phased deployment of the Moderna vaccine.

The roll out builds on the success of the existing COVID-19 vaccination service, which has now delivered over 115,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from almost 350 community pharmacies across Northern Ireland.

The Moderna vaccine was initially available from 16 pharmacies with more pharmacies being added to the service on a rolling basis over the coming weeks.

Minister Swann said: “Community pharmacy teams across Northern Ireland have already risen to the challenge by delivering over 115,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, while continuing to provide their vital services to people in their communities at a time of immense pressure across the health and social care system.

Continued availability

“As well as the continued availability of the AstraZeneca vaccine to individuals over 40, the additional availability of the Moderna vaccine to eligible individuals aged 18 years and over will also provide more locations where those people who haven’t yet come forward to receive their vaccine to do so now.

“While the logistical challenges with deployment of the Moderna vaccine are considerable, the number of participating pharmacies offering Moderna will continue to increase over the coming weeks and this will help many more people to come forward to access their vaccine in an easy and convenient location for them.”

Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer said: “Pharmacy teams across Northern Ireland should be very proud of the contribution they have made to the success of the COVID-19 vaccination programme. Their actions have undoubtedly saved lives.

“The deployment of the Moderna vaccine from an increasing number of community pharmacies over the coming weeks will play a vital part in our continued fight back against the virus.”

Heart of local communities

Gerard Green, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland said: “We welcome the inclusion of Moderna to the COVID-19 vaccination programme, particularly for those in the under 40s age group. Community pharmacy is embedded in the heart of local communities, and this has been important in the vaccine roll out to date, providing patients with the option to receive their vaccine from a convenient and familiar health care professional, that they know and trust.

“As the Moderna vaccine is initially being rolled out to a limited number of pharmacies, I would ask the public to please be patient with community pharmacy teams as we continue to deliver pharmacy services and play our part in helping to protect the local population through the COVID-19 vaccination programme.”

Bigger role

The community pharmacy network in Northern Ireland has administered over 115,000 Covid-19 vaccines since taking up the vaccine programme in late March. As focus now turns to the booster programme, Community Pharmacy NI are calling on the Department of Health to expand the provision of the Covid-19 vaccination programme in local pharmacies when the booster vaccine is rolled-out in the autumn.

With more vaccine options becoming available in Northern Ireland, local community pharmacies are keen to play a bigger role in the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine programme with pharmacies able to vaccinate all age-cohorts. This will allow for other vaccinators to shift focus to other aspects of healthcare, and for community pharmacists to become the central vaccinating team within primary care.

Community Pharmacist, David McCrea, said:

“It has been great to be able to vaccinate our own patients and the familiar faces that we see every day, helping to protect both them and their families against Covid-19. Since the roll-out began, patients have commented on how easy it is to get the vaccine at their local pharmacy. Looking towards the autumn, we want to play a bigger role in the vaccine booster programme and from the initial success of our vaccination programme, it is clear our teams are agile, capable and professional in providing the vaccine to our communities. It only makes sense for this programme to be expanded to all ages when the range and supply of vaccines is greater and for the winter flu vaccine to also be provided through community pharmacies.

“We are also pleased to be able to offer the vaccine as it means we are able to support our patients who we know well, addressing any concerns they have and delivering a booster service ensures we can continue to provide this important level of care.”

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Health Minister Robin Swann has welcomed an expansion of the community pharmacy COVID-19 vaccination service with the phased deployment of the Moderna vaccine.

The vaccine will be available to eligible individuals aged 18 years and over.

The roll out builds on the success of the existing COVID-19 vaccination service, which has now delivered over 115,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from almost 350 community pharmacies across Northern Ireland.

The new service will initially offer the Moderna vaccine from 16 pharmacies with more pharmacies being added to the service on a rolling basis over the coming weeks.

Locations have been identified and selected on the basis of vaccine uptake data in order to help reach as many people as possible in areas of lower uptake and to make it easier than ever for people to get their vaccine and protect themselves and their loved ones.

Minister Swann said: “Community pharmacy teams across Northern Ireland have already risen to the challenge by delivering over 115,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, while continuing to provide their vital services to people in their communities at a time of immense pressure across the health and social care system.

“As well as the continued availability of the AstraZeneca vaccine to individuals over 40, the additional availability of the Moderna vaccine to eligible individuals aged 18 years and over will also provide more locations where those people who haven’t yet come forward to receive their vaccine to do so now.

“While the logistical challenges with deployment of the Moderna vaccine are considerable, the number of participating pharmacies offering Moderna will continue to increase over the coming weeks and this will help many more people to come forward to access their vaccine in an easy and convenient location for them.”

Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer said: “Pharmacy teams across Northern Ireland should be very proud of the contribution they have made to the success of the COVID-19 vaccination programme. Their actions have undoubtedly saved lives.

“The deployment of the Moderna vaccine from an increasing number of community pharmacies over the coming weeks will play a vital part in our continued fight back against the virus.”

Joe Brogan, Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management at the Health and Social Care Board said: “Community pharmacies are extremely accessible healthcare venues which have successfully demonstrated the delivery of flu vaccines and more recently COVID-19 vaccination.

“Rolling the Moderna vaccine out through selected pharmacies will, I hope, provide the opportunity for even greater uptake of these lifesaving vaccines.”

Gerard Green, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland said: “We welcome the inclusion of Moderna to the COVID-19 vaccination programme, particularly for those in the under 40s age group. Community pharmacy is embedded in the heart of local communities, and this has been important in the vaccine roll out to date, providing patients with the option to receive their vaccine from a convenient and familiar health care professional, that they know and trust.

“As the Moderna vaccine is initially being rolled out to a limited number of pharmacies, I would ask the public to please be patient with community pharmacy teams as we continue to deliver pharmacy services and play our part in helping to protect the local population through the COVID-19 vaccination programme.”

The Minister added: “Cases have continued to rise over recent weeks and we are now also beginning to see the pressures mounting on our hospitals, with increasing demand for intensive care beds – albeit at a lower rate, thanks to the effectiveness of our vaccination programme. If we can make a concerted effort to increase vaccine uptake in the next week or so, this can help make a decisive difference, in terms of preventing serious illness and hospitalisations.

“If you haven’t yet received your first dose of the vaccine – don’t delay, act today.”

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