Charlotte Varcoe
AS the winter weather comes into play, pharmacists from around Mount Gambier/Berrin are reminding the public to remain up to date with their flu vaccinations.
Vaccinations against the influenza are available to all leading into the colder months with pharmacists now also able to distribute more vaccinations under a State Government program.
Covid-19 vaccinations also remain in strong form with many community members reaching their fifth booster.
UFS Chemist pharmacist Dale Salmon said its data showed vaccinations for influenza had been about equivalent to what it was last year.
“This means people are remaining aware of influenza and they have not forgotten about it with the scenario of Covid-19 being the more active disease,” Mr Salmon said.
“There does not appear to be vaccine fatigue either which is great and it is good news influenza and vaccinations are still at the forefront of people’s minds.”
He said chemists and pharmacists across the region were trying to educate the public about the influenza virus and reiterated it remained a threat.
“Worst case scenario is people will be infected with both Covid-19 and influenza,” he said.
“We are trying to educate people that influenza is still a threat because people need to remember that influenza can be just as serious as Covid-19 and if people have underlying health conditions, are elderly or even pregnant, having both Covid-19 and influenza could be disastrous.”
Mr Salmon said according to UFS Chemist data, those who remained vigilant with Covid-19 vaccinations, wearing masks and practicing good hand hygiene were more likely not to have been infected with Covid-19 than those who did not.
“We are getting steady numbers with Covid-19 vaccinations and these people are being very vigilant about not acquiring a Covid infection and doing all the right things and they have been the ones who has largely evaded the Covid-19 infections before,” he said.
“From our data there seems to be a lower incidence of actual infection or at least asymptomatic infections in those who have kept up with their boosters.”
Mr Salmon said as well as Covid-19 vaccinations and influenza vaccinations, the pharmacy has begun giving other vaccinations under the new state-wide program.
“We did our first hepatitis B vaccination recently which was the first one done here under the new changes,” he said.
“By having pharmacists able to do these vaccinations it is good because it makes the vaccinations very accessible and gives the general practitioners more time to do what they would prefer to be doing.”
Mr Salmon said by being able to give the vaccines at the pharmacy it also guaranteed the vaccinations would remain intact.
“Once a vaccine leaves here we don’t know what has happened to it and a patient can say it has been refrigerated but they may have been at the supermarket for half an hour,” he said.
“People do not understand that once the vaccine reaches a certain temperature, the structure of the substance inside can change and once it loses its three-dimensional shape the vaccine cannot work anymore.
“We assume the vaccines arrive at the doctors clinic in good shape but we cannot guarantee this, so having it available at the pharmacy means we can guarantee it remains in shape.”
Those interested in having either their Covid-19 booster vaccination or their influenza vaccination are encouraged to contact their local pharmacy.
BREAKOUT BOX:
JEV vaccine to persons aged five years and over
Measles, mumps, rubella vaccine (in combination) to persons aged 10 years and over
Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus vaccine (adult formulation in combination) to persons aged 10 years and over
Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio vaccine (adult formulation in combination) to persons aged 10 years and over
Inactivated polio vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over
Meningococcal ACWY vaccine to persons aged 10 and over
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over
Hepatitis A vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over
Hepatitis B vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over
Hepatitis A and B combination vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over
Meningococcal B vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over
Varicella only (chickenpox) vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over
Herpes zoster (Shingrix) vaccine to persons aged 50 years and over
