Q&A: How will pharmacies be rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine?

Pharmacies in Ireland will now be administering Covid-19 jabs for the first time from today. Picture: PA

As Ireland progresses further in the national vaccination rollout, with those in their 30s being expected to register for their vaccine as soon as this week, pharmacists have been given the green light to begin administering Covid-19 vaccines.

Pharmacies will join the vaccination programme in a bid to speed up the rollout, ease pressures in mass vaccination centres and give people the choice to be vaccinated in their own community or travel to a vaccination centre.

When can I get a jab in the pharmacy?

From today, people will be able to receive a Covid-19 vaccine in their community pharmacy. Pharmacists have been trained to administer the jab.

What group can be vaccinated by pharmacists?

Currently, people over 50 will be able to get a Covid-19 vaccine from their local pharmacist.

It is expected that pharmacies will gradually begin vaccinating other age cohorts, however, there are approximately 140,000 people over the age of 50 who have not yet received a Covid-19 vaccine, according to The Irish Pharmacy Union (IPU).

What vaccine are pharmacies administering?

Initially, pharmacies will only administer the one-shot Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccine, however, the Pfizer jab will also be made available in the coming weeks.

Around 60,000 J&J jabs will be distributed to participating pharmacies across the country.

Towards the end of this month, the Pfizer vaccine will start to arrive in a smaller number of pharmacies – particularly to communities far away from vaccination centres.

Is my local pharmacy administering vaccines?

As of today, more than 1,000 pharmacies across Ireland will begin administering vaccines to over-50s.

You can check whether or not your local pharmacy will be participating in the vaccine rollout over on the HSE’s website.

Do I have to register online/over the phone to get a jab in the pharmacy?

There is no need to register for your vaccine through the online portal to receive a Covid-19 vaccine in a pharmacy.

If you wish to receive a jab from one of the participating pharmacies, you must call them to arrange a vaccination appointment.

Chief Executive of the IPU, Darragh O'Loughlin, told Newstalk pharmacies will not be operating on a walk-in basis.

“The pharmacist will be able to set you up on the portal if you are not on it,” he said.

“It will be appointment-based but it won’t simply be a case of walking in the door.

“The doses come in vials of five and we want to avoid wasted doses as much as possible so we will be making appointments in fives.

“So, if you contact the pharmacy and make an appointment make sure you turn up for that appointment to avoid wasted doses.”

How will it work?

Vaccinations will take place in a separate consultation room within your local pharmacy.

Once vaccinated, people will have to wait for 15 minutes after receiving their jab so that they can be monitored for any side effects.

Do I have to pay to get the vaccine in the chemist rather than a mass vaccination centre?

No, you will not have to pay for a Covid-19 vaccine if you choose to get vaccinated in a pharmacy.