The Pharmacy Guild of Australia ACT Branch welcomes confirmation that the ACT Government will lower the age pharmacists can administer flu vaccinations to children to 10 years.
"It is a positive and timely step ahead of what threatens to be another bad season for influenza," said Simon Blacker, the ACT Branch President of the Guild.
"With the public health focus squarely on COVID-19, it is very important that as many people as possible in the ACT are protected against contracting influenza, so that they are fit and healthy as we strive to minimise the impact of COVID-19," he said.
The change in the minimum age is one of a number of significant changes to pharmacist vaccination in the ACT to be formalised today. In addition to reducing the minimum age to 10 years, pregnant women will also be able to be vaccinated by pharmacists in the ACT. Pharmacists will also be authorised to administer the measles, mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine. The changes relate to private vaccine only.
By allowing pharmacists to administer privately purchased flu vaccines to people aged 10 years and over, and to pregnant women, families will have more choice when seeking a flu vaccination.
This beneficial change will allow trained pharmacist vaccinators to make an even bigger contribution to herd immunity in the ACT. It also brings the ACT into line with other jurisdictions that have taken this step.
"We thank the Minister for Health and the ACT Government for this timely move," Mr Blacker said.
