You can now go to a chemist to receive a range of vaccinations thanks to a law change sparked from Orange.
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About six people have already used the service available at McCarthy’s Pharmacy in Lords Place after it was introduced on January 1.
Vaccinations are available at pharmacies for diptheria, tetanus and whooping cough, for measles, mumps and rubella plus existing vaccinations for flu.
Member for Orange Phil Donato said the changes had occurred after he contacted Health Minister Brad Hazzard.
In regional communities it is not always possible to go to your local doctor at short notice.
- Phil Donato, member for Orange
“Following a meeting I had last year with Kristy-Lee Rigby, vice-president of the NSW branch of the Pharmacy Society of Australia, I fully supported their proposal for broader pharmacist vaccinations, which clearly benefit public health throughout our state,” he said.
“It is very important, particularly in regional areas to see this come to light,” he said.
“In regional communities it is not always possible to go to your local doctor at short notice, or tyranny of distance, a whole range of factors makes it difficult for people to go see your GP and be able to get those immunisations.”
“They have already seen a take-up this week and it’s only in its infancy.”
“Something like less than 50 per cent of adults have their vaccinations up to date so that’s an important issue that we really need to promote and encourage people to get vaccinated so that we don’t have these diseases in our community.”
Ms Rigby said it was available to people over 16 years old.
“As we have been doing influenza vaccines over the past four years during those consultations a lot of patients have been saying to us ‘can you do other vaccinations and why can’t you’?
“It is something the community have wanted in the first place.”
She said many people did not follow up with their booster vaccines.
“They’re the people we’re targeting and so boosting those vaccine rates in those people is only going to help the community and increase patient healthy outcomes.”
She said there were few risks from the vaccinations.
“We are trained in how to give those vaccines and we’re also trained to deal with adverse affects such as anaphylaxis which is very, very, very rare.”
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