Pharmacy Guild calls for urgent policy change to ‘keep the doors open’

There are calls for all pharmacy staff to be included in the state government’s definition of a ‘critical worker’ under the new close contact isolation rules.

From 11.59pm tomorrow night, those in select industries who are asymptomatic and deemed close contacts will be allowed to leave isolation for work, provided they’ve returned negative rapid antigen test results for five days.

The industries covered by the new rules currently are emergency services, education, critical utilities, custodial facilities, transport and freight workers.

This exemption already applies to hospital workers, disability workers, residential aged care facility workers, and ambulance workers, provided they wear N95 mask at the workplace. It’s also already in place for food production sector workers.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia Victorian president, Anthony Tassone, says many chemists are struggling to stay open due to staff shortages, and they desperately need to be included in the exemption.

“We’ve got to keep the doors open at pharmacies, we’ve got to make sure people can get their medicines, and get their booster vaccinations, and get what they need and the advice for their health,” he told Ross and Russel.

“I do call upon the Victorian government to make sure that they have healthcare workers included in that exemption, including all pharmacy workers … to return to work safely and responsibly if they test negatively and are asymptomatic.”

Press PLAY below to hear what Mr Tassone says needs to change urgently