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Accelerating the rollout of vaccines into pharmacies could help Australia reach its vaccination target of 80% up to two months faster than current projections, according to new research from . The report says that this strategy would also avoid $12.3 billion in economic costs.

鈥樷�� reports that the federal government鈥檚 failure to hit its own target on vaccinations via pharmacies slowed the nation鈥檚 vaccination efforts to the tune of 1 million doses (target of 2000 pharmacies by 1 July versus reality of <65 pharmacies).

However, if the government was able to swiftly engage the approximately 4000 Australian pharmacies eligible to administer vaccines, it could vaccinate 80% of the population in 128 days, down from 184 days on current projections.

The McKell Institute鈥檚 Executive Director, Michael Buckland, said the research showed it was incumbent upon the federal government to pull out all stops to ensure pharmacies were brought online.

鈥淭he government now understands we are in a war against COVID-19, so it鈥檚 baffling it鈥檚 been so slow to deploy one of our most powerful divisions 鈥� the nation鈥檚 pharmacies,鈥� Buckland said.

鈥淭he vaccine supply issues have been resolved, but it鈥檚 not much good having the ammunition if you don鈥檛 get it into the hands of people who know how to use it.

鈥淩ecent moves to accelerate the use of pharmacies in the wake of lockdowns are welcome. But in reality the government shouldn鈥檛 rest until every one of the 4000 eligible Australians pharmacies is administering vaccinations on a daily basis.

鈥淚t鈥檚 natural to focus on conscientious objectors as an impediment to Australia鈥檚 vaccine rollout, but the evidence indicates the administrative difficulties people face are a bigger problem. Making jabs available at the local pharmacy would go a long way to fixing this.

鈥淲e all want to see the back of lockdowns, and if the government moves swiftly it will save us all two months and $12 billion,鈥� Buckland added.

Image credit: 漏stock.adobe.com/au/Alexey Fedorenko