COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – Information and Updates for Pharmacists
Although the pandemic is over, COVID-19 is still with us. It is important for everyone to have access to accurate information about COVID-19.
COVID-19 information for pharmacists and pharmacies
Pharmacists and pharmacy teams play a key role in national vaccination programmes and in helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infections in the community.
During the COVID-19 pandemic pharmacists and pharmacy teams played an important public health role in helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases in the community through vaccination and continuity of medicine supply and by providing ongoing care to patients and professional advice and reassurance to the public.
Pharmacies continue to be a frontline healthcare setting where patients and the public can access accurate and up to date information about the management of their health. This includes information about vaccines, infection prevention and control, and the treatment of symptoms such as COVID-19.
You will find some useful resources related to COVID-19 available below from PSI, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), HSE and other sources to support your practice.
National roll-out and sources of information
- The national COVID-19 vaccination strategy and implementation plan outlines Ireland’s high-level plan for safe, effective and efficient vaccination of the population, while safeguarding continued provision of health and social care services.
-
As part of the roll out of the national COVID vaccination programme, the Department of Health issued the Medicinal Products (Prescription and Control of Supply) (Amendment) (No. 7) Regulations 2020 (SI 698 of 2020) on 24 December 2020. The purpose of these Regulations is to allow for COVID-19 vaccinations, listed in the Eighth and Twelfth Schedules, to be administered by pharmacists, nurses and midwives, advanced paramedics, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and physiotherapists, as per Regulation 4F as part of the national COVID vaccination programme.
Pharmacists as a trusted key information source
- The public places a high degree of trust in their pharmacists, and pharmacists are an important source of accurate and reliable information for patients and the public, including for information about the COVID-19 vaccines.
- Pharmacists are well placed to respond to questions and to provide up-to-date and evidence-based information to the public about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. Pharmacists may access the following trusted sources for information. Please note that some websites are not being updated, and the latest date of update should be considered when reviewing information:
HSE resources on COVID-19 vaccines
- HSE National Immunisation Office (NIO) COVID-19 vaccine information for health professionals
- General information for the public about COVID-19 vaccines
- COVID 19 vaccine materials
Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) guidance and information
- The HPRA provides information and guidance on its website related to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, and the reporting of suspected side-effects.
Other Information Sources
- The Health Protection Surveillance Centre publishes data and surveillance reports relating to COVID-19 in Ireland, along with dedicated information for health professionals.
- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has information on its website about COVID-19 vaccines.
- The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has a dedicated section on its website.
Community pharmacies are a key part of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme. The HSE has issued guidance documents to support pharmacists in providing COVID-19 vaccines.
- HSE COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Health Professionals
- HSE Operational Guidance for Vaccination in Community Pharmacy, which sets out the detailed requirements for COVID-19 vaccination.
Pharmacist vaccinators who wish to administer COVID-19 vaccines must be up to date with all required training. Read more about the training requirements for COVID-19 vaccines on our Information for pharmacists on COVID-19 vaccination training page.
Patients and the public trust pharmacists to provide accurate and evidence-based healthcare advice in the community. It is important this trust is maintained and pharmacies continue to be a source of reliable and scientifically valid information in line with current public health advice.
Every pharmacist providing or supervising a COVID-19 testing service and/or supplying COVID-19 testing kits must ensure they are doing so in line with up to date public health advice and be able to advise patients on the correct use and limitations of these tests. Any testing service provided in a pharmacy, whether for COVID-19 or any other condition must be provided in line with PSI guidance on providing testing services in pharmacies.
