Community pharmacies remain open amid lockdown

As Greater Brisbane enters its third day of the three-day snap lockdown Queensland Pharmacy Guild Branch President, Professor Trent Twomey reminds residents that community pharmacies are open for business.

As primary healthcare providers, community pharmacies are well-prepared and already have effective protocols in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff and community members.

Professor Twomey reassures the community that these measures include:

  • Ensuring all Queensland patients have fair and equitable access to their essential medicines.
  • Ensuring patients maintain adequate social distancing while in the store.
  • Putting in place maximum purchasing limits to ensure supplies of items like PPE, masks and hand sanitiser can be fairly distributed across the community.

While the announcement of the snap lockdown measures resulted in some panic buying and long queues seen at major supermarkets, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Queensland Branch, also reminds that community that the lockdown is temporary, so there is no need to bulk purchase items.

Community members are also reminded to remain patient if they do encounter queues at their local pharmacy.

As essential primary healthcare services, Queensland’s network of almost 1,200 community pharmacies continues to be on the frontline of the Covid-19 pandemic and remains open to service members of the community.

Members of The Pharmacy Guild of Australia, Queensland Branch, will also continue to be supported should they need support or advice regarding government directions at this time.