Vic isolation exemptions exclude PAs

PHARMACY assistants (PAs) are not included amongst the list of essential workers that the Victorian State Government has exempted from COVID-19 isolation requirements.

The exemptions announced by the State Government came after National Cabinet gave the greenlight for healthcare workers who are deemed to be close contacts of a person with COVID-19, to be exempted from quarantining, if they are asymptomatic and have tested negative for the virus.

Under the current arrangements the exemption extends to “a registered pharmacist, a dispensary assistant or technician at a pharmacy; or someone directly carrying out or supervising the delivery of vaccination services at a pharmacy”, meaning frontof-shop workers who are close contacts, but COVID-negative, will still be required to isolate for seven days.

In a message to pharmacy owners, Pharmacy Guild of Australia Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, said the organisation was “advocating to the Victorian Government and Department of Health for the exemption to apply to all pharmacy workers”.

Speaking on Australia Today yesterday, Tassone had highlighted the important role PAs have in keeping pharmacies open (PD 18 Jan).

“It’s not just pharmacists that need to be included in that exemption,” he said.

“It’s the vitally important PAs that help support us to keep the doors open, to get the medications to the patients.

“Without our PAs the operation doesn’t work, so the Victorian Government and any Government that hasn’t put in place these measures from National Cabinet, they need to get their act together.”