Vaccination reminder
The recent surge in demand for influenza vaccines has also seen a rise in the number of vaccine-related calls and incident reports to PDL. This increase may be associated with some pharmacists experiencing vaccination fatigue or making assumptions that past high numbers of this service mean that process review is unnecessary. Such conditions may increase […]
Vaccinating for winter
As winter approaches, pharmacies will be very busy providing vaccinations against influenza (flu) as well as administering COVID-19 fourth doses (winter doses) or boosters. As many brands of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines will be available, pharmacists should take extra care to ensure that the requested vaccine is provided. This can be achieved by consulting the […]
Moderna Spikevax vaccine approved for children 6-11 years
The ATAGI approval of Moderna Spikevax for the primary vaccination of children 6-11 years provides more options for families and pharmacists. Read the ATAGI statement. Key points include: There is NO paediatric formulation. It is the same Moderna Spikevax formulation used for patients 12 years and older. The dose is 50µg (0.25ml) for children 6-11 […]
Prepare for another vaccine in the pharmacy
The approval of the Pfizer Comirnaty Orange Cap (5-11 years) COVID-19 vaccine to be administered by pharmacists from 10 January 2022 offers opportunities and challenges for pharmacists. PDL encourages pharmacists to prepare for this service now and consider the following to minimise risk. Preparation and administration key points Comirnaty (Orange Cap) is a specifically formulated paediatric vaccine provisionally approved by TGA in the 5–11-year-old age range. Comirnaty (Orange Cap) is the […]
COVID-19 vaccine booster dose alert
Vaccinating pharmacists take note… The Moderna Spikevax vaccine has been approved as a booster dose over the weekend with a different dose volume to the primary vaccination course. The ATAGI statement on Moderna as a booster outlines the arrangements for Moderna booster doses and indicates the below: The Moderna Spikevax booster vaccination is authorised for all patients aged 18 years and […]
The next phase of the COVID-19 vaccination service
The PDL Professional Officers have noted a recent reduction in the number of calls about the COVID-19 vaccination service. This is pleasing and a likely indication of reduced demands on pharmacists and a greater familiarity with the vaccination process. However, this phase of the pharmacy vaccination service brings other challenges. With the inclusion of the […]
Vaccination administration, have you got it RIGHT?
PDL recognises the extraordinary efforts that pharmacists have made to provide COVID-19 vaccines to more than one million patients. It is very pleasing to report only a very small proportion of those vaccinations have included an incident. Greater awareness of areas of risk within the vaccination process, as mentioned in this alert, can hopefully minimise […]
Latest PDL insights for COVID-19 vaccinations
The PDL Professional Officers continue to assist pharmacists with enquiries and incidents involving COVID-19 vaccines. Recent calls and reports have identified several consistent themes in these conversations with key preventative actions being the following. 1. ALWAYS check the AIR before vaccinating to confirm the patient’s age in years. The date of birth has been converted […]
Be aware and prepare for expansion of vaccination services
Pharmacist vaccination services are continuing to expand and PDL urges all pharmacists to consider the risk assessment and risk mitigation strategies needed to prevent errors or incidents. Below are some of the most common areas of risk identified by the PDL Professional Officers. 1. Check the patient’s age The inclusion of Moderna’s Spikevax vaccine in […]
Top 10 tips to avoid vaccination errors
The PDL Professional Officers are aware of some issues relating to COVID-19 vaccinations administered by community pharmacists. To help minimise the risk of an incident occurring, refer to our tips below. 1. Check the AIR BEFORE vaccinating Always check the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) BEFORE vaccinating to check the patient’s current vaccination status and interval between […]