Covid-19 vaccine in pharmacies: How it works and Who can do it

. This was announced by the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, who explained that he had signed the protocol with the Regions and autonomous provinces and the Federfarma and Assofarm trade associations, to safely start anti-Covid-19 vaccinations in pharmacies throughout Italy . "The vaccination campaign is the real key to closing this difficult season. Today we take another important step forward to make it faster and more widespread" commented Speranza.

in the pharmacy it can only be carried out by pharmacists who have followed a specific course, with specific programs and training modules organized by the Higher Institute of Health, and will obtain the relative qualification. In this sense, the Piedmont region had led the way, because already at the end January the Health Department of the Region had signed an agreement with Federfarma Piemonte and Assofarm for the administration of vaccines.

According to the national agreement, the bookings and the execution of vaccines will follow the programs for the identification of the target population defined by the health authorities: therefore, even in pharmacies, the priorities set by the Government will be valid. This means that citizens will not be able to book at will. . A large part of the Italian population will be able to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in pharmacies, as well as in other vaccination centers around the country. The only exception concerns, as stated in the protocol, those subject to "extreme vulnerability or with a positive history of previous severe allergic / anaphylactic reaction ": this category cannot be vaccinated in pharmacies.

Covid-19 in pharmacies can only be carried out in facilities capable of "ensuring that the area where the vaccine is administered has few surfaces with a high frequency of contact and offers the possibility of rapid disinfection." In addition, this area must have adequate size, so as to ensure spacing.

After administration, the vaccinated person should be supervised and monitored for at least 15 minutes. We therefore need a space for the waiting period.
In the absence of valid alternatives, it will be possible to set up mobile units, such as gazebos, dedicated to the administration and monitoring of vaccinated people.

And, again, the pharmacy will have to have special freezers for storing vaccines. These must be devices "intended exclusively for the preservation of pharmaceutical products with constant temperature monitoring".

Another rule for administering the Covid-19 vaccine in pharmacies: pharmacists must equip themselves with adequate protections and patients are recommended to use Ffp2 masks.

, and to wear the mask, the citizen must:

provide any information useful for compiling informed consent,
not having symptoms compatible with the coronavirus infection,
do not be positive for the swab,
not having had close contact with people affected by Covid-19 in the last 14 days,
have your body temperature checked.

See other articles tag Vaccines