Northumberland pharmacists back our campaign to give them role in Covid vaccine delivery programme

The Northumberland Gazette and its sister titles across the UK are urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson to deploy the country’s network of 11,000 pharmacies as front-line Covid vaccine centres.

Readers have expressed concern over vaccine arrangements – from the information they are being given about their own jab to the distance they will have to travel to receive it.

Ajay Rehan, pharmacist at K-Chem in Shilbottle, said: “I certainly support the campaign. It would help to get the vaccine rolled out and the more people that get it the better.

"It would be an accessible way for people in a small community like ours to get vaccinated.

"We’re not too far from Alnwick where people have been getting the vaccine and a lot of our patients have benefited from that but we’re some distance away from the mass vaccination sites.

"There are a few practicalities which would need to be looked at in terms of how pharmacies can support the roll-out but I’m certain they can play a big part.”

Despite warm words from Government in the past few days that they will expand the use of the very limited number of the 200 largest pharmacies, we believe it is essential that every single one is given a cast-iron assurance that they will be allowed to play their part – with the minimum of red tape.

In Berwick, Stuart Graham, pharmacist at the Castlegate Pharmacy, said: “We’re certainly in favour of it and we’re perfectly capable of doing it.

"We already do a considerable number of flu vaccinations so it would be no problem to do Covid vaccinations if we were allowed.

"We have the facilities and some capacity. We just need to overcome the practicalities, such as getting the vaccine to us, and get through the red tape.”

In Wooler, Andrew Booth at Glendale Pharmacy also backs the campaign.

“We wouldn’t be involved because we don’t do vaccinations but it’s definitely something I’d support for those pharmacies that do,” he said.

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