The Prime Minister has announced that all community pharmacies willing and able to assist, will be activated to administer AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines. 

The Australian Government COVID-19 Taskforce (Taskforce) has also advised that community pharmacies that agree to be activated to administer AstraZeneca vaccines will be progressively transitioned to administer mRNA vaccines (Moderna and/or Pfizer), as supply of mRNA vaccines ramps up later this year.

To progress these arrangements, the Pharmacy Programs Administrator (PPA) will be writing to community pharmacies on Monday 26 July 2021.  Pharmacies will be asked to complete an online form to:

• Advise whether they are willing and able to commence administering AstraZeneca vaccines
• Confirm they can and will meet all relevant Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) requirements associated with the administration of AstraZeneca and mRNA vaccines
• Provide their Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) provider number – noting that completion of the form and activation as a COVID-19 vaccine site will not be possible without an AIR provider number.  Pharmacies that do not yet have an AIR provider number will need to apply for one via Services Australia and submit their online form once they have their AIR provider number.

The Taskforce has advised that activation of community pharmacies as AstraZeneca vaccination sites will occur progressively in-line with available operational and logistics capacity. Pharmacies are advised that those assessed as ‘suitable’ as part of the expression of interest process undertaken earlier this year will be prioritised.