In the last four months, one in ten Western Australians have been diagnosed with COVID-19. In the same period, the state has also recorded over 300 COVID-19 related deaths.
The Australian Government's Department of Health and Aged Care has identified that Western Australia's vaccination rate is high for those aged 65 and over however, worryingly, it is much lower for the 30 years and over cohort. In this latter group, Western Australia is below the national average.
Western Australia's COVID-19 management is transitioning away from being a State of Emergency, there are concerns about the emergence and transmission of new COVID-19 variants.
Accordingly, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia WA Branch is reminding Western Australians that following the public health advice, and vaccination, remain key elements in protection against infection.
WA Branch President Andrew Ngeow noted that in recent months there has been an alarming change in our approach to living with COVID-19.
"As we come out the other side of two years' worth of restrictions, we must still stay vigilant as COVID-19 remains in our community. For a lot of Western Australians, such as the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions, COVID-19 still presents a real threat to their lives," said Mr Ngeow. "I strongly encourage everyone to continue to get the vaccine and stay safe."
Australia is currently recording an increase in COVID-19 cases.
There are over 500 community pharmacies authorised to provide one or more vaccines in Western Australia, many of these located in regional and rural areas of the state. COVID-19 has shone a spotlight on the expertise of these, and it has been through their involvement that Western Australia went from lagging, to leading, Australia's COVID-19 vaccination numbers.
"Western Australian's preference for the convenience, accessibility, flexibility, and safety provided through their community pharmacy has seen them receive over 1.3 million COVID-19 vaccinations," Mr Ngeow said.
"At a time when there are difficulties in accessing other providers, these community pharmacies remain the logical location for vaccination and our involvement will continue to deliver positive outcomes for individual patients and the community," Mr Ngeow concluded.
