Pharmacists seek inclusion in COVID vaccination priority list

CHENNAI: Finding themselves out of the priority list for vaccination against COVID-19 which is being rolled out on Saturday, pharmacists and chemists in the State have requested the State Health Department to include them, pointing out that they too faced similarly high risk of infection like in the case of healthcare workers.

Members of association representing them said that they too were part of the healthcare sector and should be included in the priority list for COVID-19 vaccination in the State.

“Drug retailers, pharmacists have been at the forefront in the fight against the pandemic to ensure timely delivery of medicines and equipment. Like other frontline workers, we too are in direct contact with healthcare facilities and are thus at an equal risk of COVID-19 infection,” said S Ramachandran, secretary, Tamil Nadu Druggists and Chemists Association, noting that many frontline workers have been infected with the virus.

Raising the demand to include pharmacists and druggists under the category of frontline workers to be administered the vaccine on priority, the association has written to senior officials from the State Health Department.

When asked, a senior health official said the demand raised by the association was being studied by the department, and indicated that it would be considered positively.

“Their request is being studied, and is very likely to be considered as they form a significant part of the healthcare sector,” said the official.