Tamworth flu vaccine start to appear in pharmacies and locals urged to have jab done

Tamworth's pharmacies have started to get their flu shots in, just in time for the cooler months to begin.

But they're reminding locals to have this jab as well as the COVID-19 jab.

Pharmacist-in-charge at Priceline Pharmacy, Sophie Lockwood, said if people were "exposed to both influenza and COVID, complications could be quite serious".

"The last couple of years there's been a huge uptake of the flu vax, and given COVID, it's really important that people still have the flu vaccination," she said.

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Priceline has started to get a number of the shots in, with more to come through soon.

Katrina O'Brien, a registered nurse at Howles Pharmacy, expects it will be just as busy as last year when their supply of the vaccine came in on March 22.

"People have been asking [about the flu vaccines] already for the last fortnight," Ms O'Brien said.

"I think the general community has become so aware of social distancing, personal hygiene, cough etiquette and immunisation and they've realised that last year the number of the true flu cases were extremely limited due to those practices."

Tamworth Discount Drug Store pharmacist-in-charge Elsie Barnes said they had enough shots for about 150 people at the moment, but they had more on the way.

She said the ideal time to get the flu jab was between March and April, but those who were getting their COVID vaccination as well needed to be mindful of timing.

"You have to have a gap of two weeks between having the flu vaccine and the COVID vaccine, so that's going to be really important if people are wanting to get both," Ms Barnes said.

The Discount Drug Store has opened up for bookings for the flu jab, and those wanting to get in and get it done can book through the app, or can call the store.

Howle's clinic will start on April 13 and will run four days a week between 9am-1pm, and the same will occur the week after, starting on April 20.

Ms O'Brien said they would be accepting walk-ins during the second week.

At Priceline, Ms Lockwood said it was preferable for locals to book online, rather than walk in.

"People are also welcome to walk in, though they may have to wait 10-15 minutes depending on whether we've got stock and if it's busy," she said.

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