The goal of the Illinois COVID-19 Pharmacy Vaccine Task Force is to convene a working group to develop a cohesive plan to deploy pharmacists in the state of Illinois to participate in the COVID-19 vaccine response.

The University of Illinois College of Pharmacy invited key pharmacy stakeholders from academia, professional organizations, national and regional pharmacy chains and other interested parties to participation in the Task Force. The Task Force first met on September 11, 2020 to gauge interest from key stakeholders and continues to meet twice a month. We welcome additional input and participation from pharmacy schools, organizations, pharmacy retailers, hospital pharmacies, etc. that would like to join the effort. Please contact Allison Schriever at aes@uic.edu for additional information.

The Department of Healthcare and Human Services (HHS) has expanded the scope of pharmacy practice in the United States due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

HHS authorizes state-licensed pharmacists to order and administer, and state-licensed registered pharmacy interns and qualified pharmacy technicians (licensed according to state requirements) acting under the supervision of the qualified pharmacist to administer, COVID-19 vaccinations to persons ages 3 or older, subject to certain requirements.
A key component of the State of Illinois response will be access to a COVID-19 vaccination. Pharmacists, in partnership with other healthcare providers, are well-positioned to increase access to vaccinations, particularly in those areas of the State that have too few pediatricians and other primary-care providers, or that are otherwise medically underserved. As of 2018, nearly 90 percent of Americans lived within five miles of a community pharmacy. Pharmacies often offer extended hours and added convenience. What is more, pharmacists are trusted healthcare professionals with established relationships with their patients. Pharmacists also have strong relationships with local medical providers and hospitals to refer patients as appropriate. For example, pharmacists already play a significant role in annual influenza vaccination. In the early 2018-19 season, they administered the influenza vaccine to nearly a third of all adults who received the vaccine. Nearly every State permits pharmacists to order and administer vaccines to both adults and children under certain circumstances.

Therefore, as an Authority Having Jurisdiction under the Secretary’s March 10, 2020 declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act (PREP Act), the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) issues this guidance.