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Kids aged 10 and over can now receive their flu vaccination from a pharmacist but not everyone is happy!

Previously pharmacists could only give flu shots to people aged 18 and over, but under the plan announced yesterday about 300,000 Tasmanians will be able to get this year’s jab at a chemist.

Health Minister Michael Ferguson said the arrangement was an Australian first, reports The Mercury.

“Doctors advise the best protection against the flu is a vaccination, which is why we have worked hard to make it so much more accessible for families,” Mr Ferguson said.

Public Health Services clinical director Faline Howes said the number of confirmed flu cases in 2019 was “much higher” than normally expected at this time of the year.

“We’ve had 800 laboratory-confirmed flu notifications in Tasmania,” she said.

“We had a peak of flu about mid-April and since then it’s been coming down a little bit but we are continuing to monitor to see what happens for the rest of the season.”

Not everyone is happy

Australian Medical Association Tasmania vice president John Davis welcomed the release of the Winter Demand Management Plan but said it was the association’s view that GPs were the best and safest option for people to receive their vaccination from.

“While the plan, overall, is welcome and much needed, as a key stakeholder, AMA Tasmania should have been consulted,” Dr Davis said.

“We do not support pharmacists administering the vaccine as we believe doctors are best placed to care for a patient should the patient suffer an adverse reaction.”

Children from six months to less than five years are eligible for a State Government-funded flu vaccine.

Do your kids have the flu vaccine?

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  • I probably wouldn’t go to the chemist but helping to make this more accessible to all.

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  • As long as someone has the training to do so, I don’t see a problem with it.

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  • I think pharmacies offering it is a great idea. It’s a lot cheaper then going to a gp and more easily accessible. I don’t think much needed doctors appointments need to be clogged up with people getting vaccines. If someone has a reaction they would call an ambulance.

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  • I think a GP would probably be ideal (that’s how we do it), but using pharmacists makes it more likely that more people will get it – and that’s good.

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  • I believe that some Pharmacies you make an appt. and they arrange for a Registered Nurse to go there and do them. Some Drs. they give you a persciption to take to pharmacy, then you have to make another appt. with the Dr. for him to give you the injection. Under 65 unless you have a chronic ongoing illness you pay for the vaccine anyway. I’m not sure what the recomnended minimum age is.

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  • Some vaccinations need to be administered whilst cold, therefore the chemist providing the optimum time..
    But the GP is better equipped to treat adverse reactions.

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  • I don’t see anything wrong with that.

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  • It’s not that easy to access the GP. It’s all very well and good to say the GP can best deal with an adverse reaction but you need to be able to get an appointment.

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  • I think as long as they’ve had it before with no issues it’d be fine. I take my son to the doctor for his because its free that way.

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  • This is the first year that I have considered getting the vaccination for our whole family. With the number of nasties our bub brings home from daycare, it is worth doing.

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  • I think it’s a great way to reduce numbers needing to visit the GP. I know our local doctor is booked out 3 weeks in advance. If there are adverse reactions to the vaccine, you can still book an appointment with you GP

    Reply

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