National News
A pathway to a higher vaccine accessibility?
Vaccinations for COVID-19 in Poland may get more accessible than previously expected, after the Polish parliament enacted a new law enabling pharmacists to vaccinate. On the 21st of January 2021, the Act came into force, stating that pharmacists (as well as physiotherapists, school hygienists, and laboratory diagnosticians) will be allowed to directly help within the national COVID-19 vaccination program. Each willing candidate must beforehand complete a free two-step qualification course, consisting of both theory e-learning and practical classes. Training is expected to take place in late February or early March. By the end of the first week of February, over 5 thousand pharmacists around the country had already signed up. As the Chief Apothecary Council states, this number is expected to grow even further in the coming weeks. Alongside the possibility of vaccinating against COVID-19 at designated points (usually clinics and hospitals), the disputable question of them taking place directly in pharmacies has surfaced too. The Ministry of Health claims that many more legislative changes need to be done and that Polish pharmacies are not properly suited for such treatments because they don’t have separate rooms for patients. Pharmacists’ autonomies continue however their fight to develop pharmaceutical care in Poland, and the recently enacted Act about Pharmacist’s Profession gives hope for coming improvements. Michał Wosiak, Local Exchange Officer for PPSA Łódź
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