South Australian pharmacists will be able to administer 10 more vaccinations including for chickenpox, measles, meningococcal, and shingles, under recent changes to the state Vaccine Code.

The state government says this makes South Australia’s pharmacist-administered vaccination scheme the most extensive in the nation and will help alleviate pressure on GPs.

Eligibility will also be expanded to allow pharmacists to give a further three vaccines to a broader group of South Australians, making them available to more young people and families. 

This includes the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, the Diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus vaccine and Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and polio vaccine.

More pharmacists will also now be able to administer the Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) vaccine for people aged five years and over.

“This expanded range of pharmacist-administered vaccinations will help to increase access and uptake of additional vaccines, providing greater protection to the community.

Chief Public Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier says she is delighted at the changes.

“During the busy winter months and beyond, this will help ease demand on GPs and help alleviate pressure on our health services.”

The changes came into effect on 28 April, when a new Vaccine Administration Code was published on the SA Health website.

• The changes apply to how pharmacists administer the following vaccinations to South Australians:
• JEV vaccine to persons aged five years and over.
• Measles, mumps, rubella vaccine (in combination) to persons aged 10 years and over.
• Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus vaccine (adult formulation in combination) to persons aged 10 years and over.
• Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio vaccine (adult formulation in combination) to persons aged 10 years and over.
• Inactivated polio vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over.
• Meningococcal ACWY vaccine to persons aged 10 and over.
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over.
• Hepatitis A vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over.
• Hepatitis B vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over.
• Hepatitis A and B combination vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over.
• Meningococcal B vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over.
• Varicella only (chickenpox) vaccine to persons aged 10 years and over.
• Herpes zoster (Shingrix) vaccine to persons aged 50 years and over.

The new Code follows a review of the range of vaccines a pharmacist may administer by SA Health’s Chief Pharmacist and Public Health Division and months of consultation with key stakeholders on the proposed changes.

Pharmacists continue to play a critical role in administering the flu vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine to people aged five years and over.

The vaccine expansion follows the announcement that mental health first aid training would be rolled out to at least 1,000 community pharmacists across the state, to deliver early identification and treatment of mental health issues.