Pharmacists should be involved in the Covid-19 vaccination programme, the Nationalist Party’s Covid Action Team said.

It was reacting to a report published by The Malta Independent in which the government said that no agreement has been made or will be made with pharmacists to provide the vaccine.

The health ministry’s statement has angered the Chamber of Pharmacists, which said it was insulted by the statement.

In a statement on Thursday, the PN said that pharmacists can give an important contribution to the vaccination rollout. “These professionals are considered as indispensable front liners when looking at the dedicated work they carry out with patients.”

This was evident in the Pharmacy of Your Choice system introduced by a nationalist administration, it said.

The PN said it believes in the abilities of pharmacists and echoed the Chamber’s sentiment that they should be involved in the vaccination programme, as is happening around the EU.

“In this way, we can ensure more efficiency and expediency when it comes to mass vaccinations.” A strategy involving family doctors and community pharmacists will ensure that the vaccination timelines are reached, it said.