Dr Ambrose McLoughlin, Registrar and CEO of the PSI, urged pharmacists to get the vaccine immediately. "As essential healthcare workers, it is important pharmacists and pharmacy staff avail of the vaccine. Clearly, as health practitioners at the front-line, they are more likely to come into contact with people who have the flu. Precautions should be taken to ensure pharmacists protect themselves and also avoid passing the flu on to vulnerable patients, their colleagues or families."
The HSE is offering a swine flu vaccine to everyone living in Ireland over the coming months. They are pushing for all healthcare workers, including those working in the pharmacy sector, to get vaccinated. The HSE have already started giving the vaccine to people with long-term illnesses, pregnant women and children under 5.
In order to get the vaccine, pharmacists should contact their own GP in the first instance. Many GPs are involved in the vaccination programme and whilst they targeted the most at-risk of the population at the start of the campaign, they have now been advised to use remaining stocks of vaccine to vaccinate the under 5s, those 65 and over and healthcare workers.
If specific GPs are not involved or have no further stocks of vaccine, pharmacists are encouraged to make an appointment to attend their local vaccine clinic, details of which are available on the website, www.swineflu.ie.
