Community pharmacies set to provide vaccinations

COMMUNITY pharmacies in Northern Ireland will provide Covid-19 vaccinations from the end of March, Health Minister Robin Swann has announced.

The scheme complements the work of GP practices and the new mass vaccination centre at the SSE Arena in Belfast, also scheduled to open at the end of March.

Mr Swann said he was “delighted” at the development and said it was yet another step in the drive to protect people from coronavirus.

“Community pharmacists are an integral part of the health and social care family. Their contribution to getting as many people vaccinated as possible will be invaluable,” said Mr Swann.

Northern Ireland’s Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Cathy Harrison said pharmacies would make a difference in the vaccine rollout.

“Community pharmacies are the most accessible healthcare service for the public and their involvement in the Covid-19 vaccination programme will build on the success of their role in Northern Ireland’s 2020/21 winter flu vaccination,” she said.

The announcement comes following the recent move allowing people in Northern Ireland aged over 50 to book their vaccine at seven regional centres.

According to the most recent Department of Health statistics for 17 March, there have been over 700,000 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine administered here. This includes 640,801 first doses of the jab and 63,946 second doses.

Meanwhile, England’s deputy chief medical officer has said evidence suggests there is no increased risk of blood clots from the Astrazeneca coronavirus vaccine.

Professor Jonathan Van-tam said that “vaccines don’t save lives if they’re in fridges” as he sought to reassure the public after a dozen European countries suspended the vaccine over isolated cases of blood clotting.

Appearing at a Downing Street Press conference, he referred to comments by the European Medical Agency (EMA), which said there was “no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions”.

It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was due to receive his vaccine shortly and that it will “be Oxford/astrazeneca”, in a show of support for the jab.

Prof Van-tam told the briefing: “There’s a lot of evidence emerging now that is reassuring, that there is no increased risk.”