Community pharmacy covid vaccination rolling out

“We are here, ready and accessible,” said Paul O'Hea of Inish Pharmacy, which is currently taking covid vaccination bookings from people over 50 years of age.

Speaking to Inish Times, Mr O'Hea (pictured) said the pharmacy will be vaccinating from Monday (June 21).
Inish Pharmacy has a dedicated booking engine for registrations at:inishpharmacy.com/covidvaccine.

Paul explained: “When people register, we will phone them within a day or two and arrange their time slot, just to make sure people are not booking appointments and then not turning up.

“They just have to provide their details and PPS number and fill in the consent section on the site.

“Because the [vaccination] vials are multi-dose, the appointments will be in blocks, so people are not waiting about and the vaccines are all being used within the time frame.

“Obviously it is important to minimise wastage. People will also be able to get notification 24 hours and one hour before their appointments, which is very handy because people are busy and it can sometimes be easy to forget things.

“We have a dedicated [vaccination] area set aside in Buncrana. That side of the pharmacy will be all cleared, so there will be plenty of space and privacy.

“In Carndonagh we actually have a separate unit, adjacent to the pharmacy, which is solely for the covid vaccinations.

“Whenever anyone turns up at the pharmacy for vaccination, at their allotted time, there will be a well signposted reception area.

“Their details will be confirmed and put into the HSE's vaccination system and then they will be taken across and vaccinated.

“Then it is a matter of sitting and waiting for 15 minutes, or 30 minutes in some cases depending on peoples' previous history of allergic reactions to certain medicines.”

The pharmacist stressed everything during the vaccination process would be “controlled”.

He added: “With this particular vaccination [Johnson and Johnson] we are starting with the over 50s. It is a single dose vaccine, which means people do not have to come back in four or eight weeks.

“We are hearing this from people, they didn't have time to go to Letterkenny twice and sit and wait in a mass vaccination centre.

“It is also handy for us. They can just pop in, get the vaccination and go home.

“Inish Pharmacy is well set up. We have been preparing for it for a while. We have experienced vaccinators here.

“One member of our staff has been working in the mass vaccination centre in Letterkenny, so it good to have that experience and learning. We are patiently waiting and ready to go.

“In a few weeks also, we will be getting the Pfizer vaccine, which will be for some of the younger patient age groups. That will be rolling out from the end of June, also in Buncrana and Carndonagh.

“Obviously vaccination it is a massive topic. People are keen to get vaccinated. They have been waiting and wondering when they can get it. People are keen to get it.

“Our staff are well trained and familiar with people. It makes sense to use that resource pharmacy setting and make it as accessible as possible for people.”

He believed vaccination was the main way out of restrictions.

Paul added: “Everybody sees it as the main way for covid to go away and not be a threat. For restrictions to ease, it is good to get as many people vaccinated as possible.

“If we can help make it convenient for people, brilliant. We are here and ready to go.

“If people have questions about eligibility or any questions, contact our staff, we are more than happy to talk to them. We are here, ready and accessible.”