A Tipperary pharmacist is among those calling for increased Pfizer vaccine supplies, as stocks for Janssen continue to fall.
Jimmy O’Sullivan in Fethard is one of 300 pharmacies, which have had both vaccines in stock, but the supplies aren’t stable.
The Irish Pharmacy Union have called on the HSE to supply the Pfizer vaccines to all pharmacists, so that vaccinations can continue without interruption.
Jimmy told Tipp Today that the problem with the Janssen vaccine is that the supply is irregular and unreliable, which doesn’t allow them to plan.
“We wouldn’t know from week to week what delivery of the Johnson and Johnson one we’re getting, so we get in 100 vaccines and as soon as they’re used, we have to tell them they’re used and ask when are we getting the next ones.
“They say ‘we don’t know’, we ask how many we are getting – ‘we don’t know’, are we getting any – ‘we don’t know’.
“It’s very much really not together on deliveries at the moment, whereas with the Pfizer one, we are guaranteed (a delivery) every fortnight, so that’s working really well and we can plan ahead with that as well.”
