Wigan pharmacists back campaign to join coronavirus vaccination programme

They have united to back a new campaign launched by the Wigan Post and its National World sister titles across the country today urging the Government to enlist pharmacies so that the vast inoculation operation can be speeded up further.

Most of the jabs have so far been administered from large centres such as the one at Robin Park sports centre. although Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said that he is now involving 200 pharmacies in the coming week and others may become involved as the process continues.

Those chosen so far are from larger chains but the Royal Pharmaceutical Society says that an army of smaller independents are being “ignored” by Whitehall when they are already ready, willing and able to help.

And this was backed up by a number of borough independents who point out that they are perfectly placed and qualified to do the work, having just finished the annual round of flu vaccine administrations.

Mike Molyneux from the Hawkley Pharmacy in Carr Lane said: “I don’t see any reason why we can’t administer the Oxford vaccine because it is fridge temperature.

“It has just come to the end of the flu season and this would be just a continuation of the same. We could do any of the normal fridge temperature vaccines.

“The Government is obviously going for the big sites at the moment while they target the most vulnerable groups and have the Pfizer vaccine which has to be kept at very low temperatures and maybe their idea is that smaller places like community pharmacies will be pressed into use in March, say, when the roll-out involves the 65s and under.

“But we are ready now. Everyone is accredited, all the pharmacies have consultation rooms and sharps bins and know all the standard operating procedures. Most of us could get going tomorrow if needs be.”

Idris Master, pharmacist at Blundell’s Pharmacy on Worsley Mesnes Drive, said: “It’s something that is straightforward for us to do, we already do a few vaccinations here.

“If we were asked to do the Covid vaccine I think it would make an enormous difference. There are 10,000 pharmacies in the country so if each one did 20 vaccines a day, that’s 100 a week and you would get a million done a week.

“Everyone knows we can do it but I don’t think there are enough vaccines out there at the moment.

“If the Government can get production scaled up to where it needs to be then we would be very happy to take the vaccine.”

And Vinod Patel, owner and manager of Bradshaw Street Pharmacy in Orrell, said his team were “willing and ready to go” in delivering the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.

He added: “With the Pfizer vaccine, the government did allow pharmacies to apply to give it but only the big companies such as Boots and Lloyds could have done it as they have big facilities.

“It’s not viable for community pharmacies but with Astra we can do it and are capable.

“The issue is whether the government have enough vaccines to distribute, as we know there are issues getting them to GPs.

“But we’ve got the staff and resources and equipment and facilities to do the Astra vaccine and it won’t be so disimilar to flu, of which community pharmacies have delivered millions of vaccines.

“It will make a huge difference to getting the vaccines rolled out if government do allow pharmacies to deliver it.

“The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC), our negotiating body, are talking to the government about it, so let’s hope.

“But we’re willing and ready to go whenever. “

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