By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Springvale pharmacist Richard Lim has been waiting months to get jabs in arms.
The Greater Dandenong councillor’s business Lim’s Pharmacy was one of more than 800 in Victoria that were deemed “suitable” in April to administer Covid vaccines.
Four months later, the pharmacy received its first AstraZeneca doses.
“We’ve been very busy,” Mr Lim said after vaccinating 130 patients in the first five days.
“Some people are saying they don’t want to go to a GP or to a mass-vax hub. They say it takes too long to get through sometimes to book in or they’re waiting up to five hours in line.
“And they say they feel comfortable with us.”
Lim’s Pharmacy accepts walk-up patients. Those under 60 are required to sign informed consent forms and to be deemed suitable by the pharmacist.
Jabs are also provided to 60’s and over.
The pharmacy has a private vaccination area already used for flu jabs. Staff have been specifically trained for the Covid-rollout, including in after-care for rare side effects.
Pharmacy Guild state president Anthony Tassone said pharmacies were “strongly positive and keen to get involved”.
Dandenong had been identified by the state health department as one of seven areas with “gaps in access to the Covid-19 vaccine”, he said.
Melbourne’s South East has among the lowest Covid vaccine rates, with 38.4 per cent receiving at least one dose as of 8 August.
It lagged well behind neighbouring parts of Melbourne such as Outer East (46.2 per cent), Inner South (51.4 per cent) and Inner East (50.1 per cent).
“Community pharmacies have been standing on the sidelines feeling like a ‘super sub’ for months wanting to take the field to help the team get this mammoth task done,” Mr Tassone said.
“We are pleased that we can help play an important part in protecting our communities and navigating our way out of COVID-restrictions and lockdowns through vaccination.”
Mr Tassone said about 500 pharmacies in Victoria were expecting Covid-19 vaccines by the end of this week.
