Sasko: People Could Be Vaccinated in Pharmacies as Early as December

      Bratislava, 22 June (TASR) - Vaccination at pharmacies is entering the final phase of implementation and the accreditation of the training programme for pharmacists is being finalised, Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) stated on Monday, adding that if the accreditation programme launches on 1 July, the first pharmacists could begin administering vaccines as early as December of this year after completing the programme.
        "In Slovakia, we have a legislative framework and rules in place for the safe administration of vaccines in pharmacies. We are currently finalising another key step - the accreditation of a training programme for pharmacists, who will be able to vaccinate adult patients upon completion of the programme. They will undergo at least six months of certification training, which will include theoretical instruction, practical training, and a final certification exam. The requirements will include a course on emergency life support lasting at least eight hours," he wrote on social media.
        If the accreditation programme launches on 1 July, its first graduates could begin administering vaccines in pharmacies as early as December. "Our goal is not to replace doctors, but to supplement the existing system and thereby increase access to preventive care," stated the health minister.