Month: October 2021

Community pharmacies across Northern Ireland are currently providing a range of vaccinations including Covid-19 first and second doses, Covid-19 Booster and flu vaccinations, for eligible groups.

Click here to find participating pharmacies

Health Minister Robin Swann has outlined the increased accessibility of Rapid Tests and also highlighted the importance of regular Rapid Testing to help stop the spread of Covid-19 this winter.

With around one in three people with Covid-19 showing no symptoms, identifying cases early is important in helping to limit the spread of the virus. Regular Rapid Testing can help identify positive cases of Covid-19 and enables people with the virus to take steps to stop them giving it to others.

Minister Swann said: “Even if you have already been vaccinated, regular Rapid Testing is important in limiting the spread of the virus, helping to protect those who are vulnerable, as well our health and social care system.

“For those who don’t already test on a regular basis, I would encourage you to avail of the free Rapid Tests that are available and make testing part of your routine. Tests are now readily available for collection right across Northern Ireland and can also be ordered online for delivery straight to your door.”

Free Rapid Tests are now available for:

• Collection at over 550 sites across Northern Ireland, including 504 community pharmacies
• Online home delivery
• Workforce Testing Schemes

Alongside vaccination and contact tracing, testing is one of the key pillars of protection from the virus. Also known as Lateral Flow Device tests or antigen tests, Rapid Tests provide a result within 30 minutes at home.

The Minister added: “It’s important to report every test result, positive, negative or void. This data helps us understand where Covid is spreading and allows us to tackle the virus more effectively.”

More than 40,000 tests were distributed by community pharmacies in the first four weeks of the service launching in September.

Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer said: “Community pharmacies have been a beacon of support in our communities throughout the pandemic. I would urge anyone who hasn’t started using Rapid Tests to ask for a test kit on their next visit to a community pharmacy.”

Matt Wills, Programme Director of the Rapid Testing Team said: “Rapid Tests are easy to access, simple to use and if you take a test first thing in the morning, your result will be ready before you leave the house. It is recommended that people should do a Rapid Test twice a week to check if they have the virus.”

Research by NHS Test and Trace shows Rapid Tests are 99.9% accurate. That means for every 1,000 lateral flow tests carried out, there is less than one false positive result. The tests have undergone rigorous testing and evaluation to ensure they are reliable.

The seasonal influenza programme officially began on 1 October 2021, and this year the programme has been expanded with community pharmacies across Northern Ireland offering the vaccine to:

All adults aged 50 years and over and Health and Social Care Workers (HSCWs) aged 16 years and over

Further information including service specification, contractor updates and promotional resources are available here

Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Michael McBride, and Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Cathy Harrison, officially launched this year’s community pharmacy flu vaccination programme and received their flu jab in Belfast.

The seasonal influenza programme officially began on 1 October 2021, this year the programme is being expanded to help protect the most vulnerable people in our society and to relieve the winter pressures being faced by the health service during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The rollout of the seasonal flu vaccination programme in Northern Ireland will be supported by community pharmacies across the province who will be offering the vaccine to:

• All adults aged 50 years and over
• All HSC workers

Speaking at Balmoral Pharmacy, the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Michael McBride, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic continues to place significant demands and pressures on our Health Service and we expect that there will be circulation of both flu and COVID-19 this winter, which will inevitably add further pressures on our already fragile health care system.

“As a result of the low flu activity last winter we expect reduced levels of population immunity against the virus this winter. In the situation where social mixing and social contact return towards pre-pandemic norms, it is expected that this winter will be the first winter in the UK when seasonal flu and other respiratory viruses such as RSV in children will circulate alongside COVID-19.

“Modelling indicates the 2021/22 flu season in the UK could be up to 50% larger than typically seen and it is also possible that the 2021 to 2022 influenza season will begin earlier than usual. Influenza vaccination is therefore an important priority this coming autumn to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with influenza, and to reduce hospitalisations during a time when the health service may also be managing significant winter outbreaks of COVID-19. Please keep following the public advice to reduce the transmission of flu and COVID-19, please get the vaccines and protect yourself, those that matter to you and the health service.”

The extension of the community pharmacy role in the 2021/22 flu vaccination programme will offer an additional route to vaccination for all HSC workers and for all those aged 50 and over, complimenting existing Occupational Health services and GP services, in order to maximise uptake of the flu vaccine.

Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, Mrs Cathy Harrison, said: “Community pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals and have continued to play a pivotal role delivering health services to communities in Northern Ireland during the pandemic.

“I am delighted to welcome this expanded role for community pharmacy teams, which builds on the success of last year’s community pharmacy flu vaccination service and the COVID-19 vaccination programme, which has seen over 143,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered in community pharmacies all across Northern Ireland.

“This service will complement the already strong arrangements for delivering the flu vaccination programme in Trusts and general practice. And will use the skills of community pharmacy teams to provide much needed additional capacity across the healthcare system to deliver the largest flu vaccination programme ever at the same time as the COVID-19 booster vaccination programme and maintaining provision of other essential HSC services.”

Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI, Gerard Greene, said: “Community pharmacies across Northern Ireland welcome the expansion of the Community Pharmacy flu vaccination service, it gives the public the option of getting their flu vaccine at a convenient, accessible location with a local pharmacist they know and trust.

“The threat of COVID-19 has made the need for vaccines even more crucial, and we strongly advise all those eligible to contact their local pharmacy team and get your winter flu vaccine. It is not just your health you protect when you are vaccinated, it is those most vulnerable in our society and the health service that is already under huge strain.”

Details of your nearest participating pharmacy can be found online www.healthandcareni.net/pharmacy_rota/Flu_Vaccinations.html

The public are reminded to be patient with community pharmacy staff as they work to set up clinics over the coming days.

There is still time to get fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before Christmas, Health Minister Robin Swann has emphasised

The Minister today launched an important new phase of the vaccination programme, with 130 local pharmacies now signed up to provide the Moderna vaccine to everyone aged 18 and over who is not yet vaccinated. 

“I am delighted that a large number of community pharmacists are on board for this phase. They will now be taking the lead role in providing first doses. Every single jab administered in Northern Ireland is important, every single dose makes a difference.

“With the eight week gap between doses, anyone coming forward for their first dose now will still have time for their second jab before Christmas. They can enjoy the festive season with the added and vital protection that vaccination gives – both for them and people close to them.”

Appealing to people who have not yet had their first vaccine dose, Mr Swann added: “Please don’t delay. Don’t be left behind – don’t miss out on the benefits that vaccination brings. We have now administered over 2.5 million jabs in Northern Ireland, including first and second doses. Come and join the vast majority of the population who are standing on safer ground.

“The threat from the virus has certainly not gone away. Thanks to the vaccines, we have weakened the link between cases and hospitalisations. Thanks to the vaccines, we have been able to carefully ease Covid restrictions and look forward to a full return to normality.”

Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI Gerard Greene said: “We are very pleased that 130 community pharmacies will be providing the Moderna vaccine to all those who have yet to receive their Covid-19 jab and that pharmacies will be the central point within primary care for administering first doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. Receiving the vaccine at an accessible local community pharmacy from a clinician they know and trust is tremendously important, with pharmacists across Northern Ireland well-experienced in delivering vaccines having already administered over 143,000 Covid-19 doses since March. As we enter into the winter period, it is even more vital that we all get vaccinated to protect ourselves, our loved ones and our health service which is already under huge strain.

“We would also remind the public that it is very important to be protected from flu as well as from Covid-19. Community pharmacies will be providing a flu vaccination service for health and social care workers as well as members of the public aged 50 and over. We encourage all those eligible to contact a local community pharmacy to get vaccinated. It could really save lives this winter.”

The first dose Covid vaccine take-up for the adult population in NI is now 89%, and it is expected that the additional capacity and accessibility offered by community pharmacies will help push this rate up to and beyond the 90% mark.

For more details on participating pharmacies offering Moderna Covid vaccine appointments in your area, visit NI Direct or check out this interactive map: http://www.healthandcareni.net/pharmacy_rota/Covid_Moderna_Vaccination_Pharmacies.html

The number of pharmacies involved is expected to increase in the coming weeks. Community pharmacies across NI will also have a key role in providing Covid vaccine booster doses.

Moderna, like Pfizer, is a MRNA vaccine. Its effectiveness against Covid has been clearly established.