COVID-19 vaccine rollout – Accelerated Site Activation and mRNA Vaccinations (July 2021 Onwards)

All s90 community pharmacies interested in providing the AstraZeneca and the COVID-19 mRNA vaccinations will need to submit an Online Form to provide important information to the PPA.
Please read below for further information on the online form submission process and site activation process.

Providing access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines to everyone living in Australia seeking to be vaccinated is a key priority of the Australian COVID-19 Vaccination Policy.

Community pharmacies are a critical partner in achieving this goal by providing comprehensive immunisation coverage for their local populations. As per the Prime Minister’s announcement on 22 July 2021, there will be an accelerated onboarding of pharmacies to participate in the COVID-19 Vaccination in Community Pharmacy (CVCP) Program.

All community pharmacies that meet requirements and are willing and able to assist, will be activated to administer AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines with pharmacies then progressively transitioned to administer mRNA vaccines (Moderna and/or Pfizer), as supply of mRNA vaccines ramps up later this year.

In order for the Australian Government COVID-19 Taskforce (Taskforce) to progress the activation of pharmacies as COVID-19 vaccination sites, pharmacies must complete the Online Form.

Pharmacies were requested to submit the Online Form as soon as possible and no later than midnight AEST,  Thursday 29 July 2021.

Pharmacies who missed this date should read the FAQs for more information.

On Monday, 26 July 2021, on behalf of the Taskforce, the PPA emailed a link to the Online Form to all community pharmacies with an account on the PPA Portal. The link was sent to the Main Authorised Person of the pharmacy or, if applicable, the contact person provided by the pharmacy in their Expression of Interest (EOI) response from the EOI undertaken earlier this year. A link was also emailed to any pharmacies without a PPA Portal account that participated in February’s EOI process.

Section 90 community pharmacies that did not submit an initial EOI and are also not currently registered on the PPA Portal that wish to complete the Online Form can request a customised link by emailing support@ppaonline.com.au.

The online response form is customised for each pharmacy and requires the pharmacy to:

  • Advise whether the pharmacy is willing and able to commence administering AstraZeneca vaccines (only applicable to pharmacies not already onboarded or in the process of being onboarded)
  • Confirm the pharmacy can and will meet all relevant Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) requirements regarding COVID-19 vaccinations in community pharmacy, including any additional requirements related to mRNA vaccines, once mRNA vaccines are rolled out to pharmacies
    The current ATAGI requirements can be found here. The Taskforce are currently working with ATAGI regarding any specific mRNA requirements. The PPA will provide these once they are made available
  • Confirm or update the pharmacy’s address and contact details (only applicable to pharmacies not already onboarded or in the process of being onboarded)
  • Provide their pharmacy’s Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) provider number – noting that completion of the form and activation as a COVID-19 vaccine site is not possible without an AIR provider number (only applicable to pharmacies not already onboarded or in the process of being onboarded).

Responses in the Online Form cannot be edited after they are submitted.

Pharmacies already onboarded or in the process of being onboarded

Pharmacies already onboarded and currently administering the AstraZeneca vaccine under the CVCP Program or those currently in the process of being onboarded must complete the Online Form if they wish to administer mRNA vaccines once supply becomes available.

Suitable pharmacies awaiting onboarding

All pharmacies deemed suitable in the EOI process undertaken earlier this year, but have not yet been onboarded, must complete the Online Form if they still wish to participate in the delivery of the AstraZeneca and mRNA vaccines (once supply becomes available).

All other pharmacies that wish to participate in the COVID-19 vaccine national rollout

Section 90 community pharmacies that did not participate in the initial EOI, or were deemed unsuitable in the initial EOI and have since had a change of circumstance may submit an Online Form if they are willing and able to commence administering AstraZeneca and mRNA vaccines.

Section 90 community pharmacies that did not submit an initial EOI in February 2021 and are also not currently registered on the PPA Portal that wish to complete the Online Form can request a personalised link by emailing support@ppaonline.com.au.  

Pharmacies should note they are not eligible to register for the CVCP Program on the PPA Portal simply by completing the Online Form. They should only register for the CVCP Program on the PPA Portal once they have been selected by Taskforce and have received an official onboarding pack email from the PPA.
 
Please note the PPA does not choose the order in which pharmacies are selected for onboarding. We therefore cannot provide you with any information on when your pharmacy will be activated by the Taskforce.

Initial activation of community pharmacies as AstraZeneca vaccination sites will occur progressively in-line with available operational and logistics capacity. 

Pharmacies were therefore requested to complete the Online Form/s as soon as possible and no later than midnight AEST on Thursday 29 July 2021.

Pharmacies who missed this date should read the FAQs for more information.

Priority will be given to activate pharmacies assessed as ‘suitable’ as part of the EOI process undertaken earlier this year.          

Community pharmacies that agree to be activated and commence administering AstraZeneca vaccines will then be progressively transitioned to administer mRNA vaccines (Moderna and/or Pfizer), as supply of mRNA vaccines ramps up later this year.

Please note the PPA does not choose the order in which pharmacies are selected for onboarding. We therefore cannot provide you with any information on when your pharmacy will be activated by the Taskforce to administer AstraZeneca vaccines or when your pharmacy may be transitioned to administer mRNA vaccines.

As each site is selected by the Taskforce, the PPA will email pharmacies the necessary additional information to enable commencement of participation.

Please see the link to the Frequent Asked Questions regarding the online form.

As new information becomes available these FAQs may be updated, please regularly review this document if you have any questions.