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2 EDITOR’S LETTER EDITOR’S LETTER As I begin this letter, it dawns on me that we’re almost halfway through the year already. June brings not only a weather change and all that entails, but also new opportunities as we head towards a new financial year. However, this year, like 2020, has been anything but ordinary. With so much constantly happening around Covid-19 and the challenges this pandemic is bringing worldwide, there’s been a tendency to neglect some of the actions on the to-do list that would usually be ticked off by now. I use myself as an example because I think most people are pretty much the same. By this time in pre-pandemic years, I would have had my flu vaccination – just a note here that this is booked at my local pharmacy for later today – but nevertheless, I haven’t had it, and that’s unusual for me because, being part of this industry, I should know better. But if I’m distracted with what’s happening with the Covid vaccines, then imagine the quandary of so many others. Now is the time to remind your customers of the importance of having their flu shot. Initiate the conversation and no doubt they’ll be asking you about the Covid vaccines instead ... What do you think? Should I have it? People are still confused and concerned, and while it’s important that you can address their apprehensions and doubts (pages 56-58), try to ensure they understand that they shouldn’t forgo their annual flu shot, and if they haven’t had this yet, encourage them to book one as soon as possible. Lockdown measurements last year helped immensely with flu transmissions in our communities, but as Australia is slowly moving towards some kind of normal, so is the chance of getting the flu. While on the subject of vaccines, at the time of writing, Health Minister Greg Hunt announced that the government had secured 25 million doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. Equally important, the government would begin an approach to market for mRNA manufacturing capacity in Australia. “The government also remains in discussions with Moderna in relation to establishing a manufacturing facility in Australia for mRNA vaccines,” Mr Hunt said. What is important to acknowledge is that while Australia moves to expand its capacity to manufacture vaccines here, your role in vaccinations is no longer a debate. The pandemic has changed many things, and one of them is that pharmacists now play a pivotal part in the rollout of vaccines, any vaccines. From now on, turf wars are over. I doubt we’ll see much resistance moving forward, as not just the government, but also, importantly, your own communities have acknowledged that you’re an integral part of any vaccination program. So, in this issue we’ve covered professional services with a focus on vaccinations. While I’m sure you’ve made your own inquiries about setting up to administer Covid vaccines, our coverage is a practical outlook on how to become a vaccine hub for your community, with input from those that have launched successful vaccination services in pharmacy (pages 28-29). We’ve also extensively covered mental health and the risks in this area from the impact of the pandemic, but in this month’s Spotlight series, we focus on small-business owners. While you’ve been at the forefront of fighting this pandemic as essential service providers, I have no doubt that many of you have felt the strain of pressure to keep your businesses running while ensuring staff, customers and family are safe. Whether it’s financial stress or the burden of simply keeping it all together, there’s help available to you (pages 33-34). Last but not least, as this is the post-APP2021 issue, we’ve compiled a special section for you of new launches and promotions at the event (pages 12-21). While we try our best to cover all new products or services unveiled or advertised at APP, sometimes we may overlook one or two of these. If that’s the case, there’s no need to worry. Send me the information and we’ll provide coverage in our What’s New section in upcoming issues. Managing Editor RETAIL PHARMACY • JUN 2021