Sales team mandatory COVAX push

PHARMABROKER Sales is implementing mandatory COVID-19 vaccination at its sites, in an effort to protect staff, trading partners and the public, from the pandemic virus.

With sales representatives regularly visiting more than 3,000 pharmacies across rural and metropolitian areas, Pharmabroker General Manager, Geoff Lovell, said the decision was “based partly on creating a secure environment for both field and office-based staff”.

“Vaccination is effective at reducing the spread of COVID-19 and results in lower viral loads when transmission does occur,” he said.

“With higher rates of hospitalisation seemingly imminent and unavoidable as the country opens up in the coming months, we have a responsibility to our personnel, trading partners, and the public.

“Pharmacies represent a significant risk of infection because they’re often the first port of call for people who feel unwell.

“We want to minimise the risks posed by and to our employees visiting those environments and moving around communities.

“Vaccination is the best available device we have for that.”

Pharmabroker Area Manager for Victoria and Tasmania, Emma Gamble, said the decision to mandate vaccination made her more comfortable visiting pharmacies and interacting with customers.

“The last thing anyone within the organisation wants is to catch the virus or contribute to its spread, and vaccination makes that all the more unlikely,” she said.

The move has also been backed by Priceline Pharmacy General Manager, Andrew Vidler.

“It makes sense for the industry to encourage uptake,” he said.

“It’s reasonable to think our customers will expect that too, so I’m happy that Pharmabroker Sales have decided on this strategy.”