Pharmacies turn to new technology to increase vaccination rates

More than 800 participating pharmacies can now strengthen their proactive and personalised outreach to the public during the seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccination campaign through a new technological solution designed to increase vaccine uptake and protect more people.

Developed as part of a partnership between ANF and Sword, a Portuguese company with an international reputation for its health technology, the innovative solution enables participating pharmacies to answer questions, address vaccine hesitancy and facilitate appointment scheduling, complementing the work of pharmacy teams.

According to Sword’s projections, the use of this artificial intelligence-based solution could help increase the number of people vaccinated at pharmacies by around 10%, potentially protecting up to an additional 100,000 people in Portugal.

«Vaccination is one of the most effective public health interventions, and we know that making it available is not enough: we need to reach people, answer their questions and make access as simple as possible», says ANF President Ema Paulino. Combining the accessibility and proximity of community pharmacies with technology will, she explains, make it possible to «reach more people, earlier, especially those who would benefit most from vaccination before the period of peak virus circulation».

«Personalised information and ease of booking are key factors in vaccine uptake. They are also areas where technology can make a difference» said Fernando Correia, physician and Clinical Director at Sword, adding that «successful vaccination during this critical period could significantly reduce pressure on emergency departments across Portugal’s National Health Service (SNS) in the coming months».

The seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccination campaign runs until 31 March 2027 and covers around 2,550 participating pharmacies nationwide. For flu vaccination, pharmacies can vaccinate people aged 60 to 84 and those aged 18 to 59 with underlying risk conditions. For COVID-19 vaccination, eligible groups include people aged 70 to 84 and those aged 18 to 69 with underlying risk conditions. People aged 60 to 69 without underlying risk conditions may also request vaccination following an individual assessment of the benefits and risks, without the need for prior medical assessment or a doctor’s certificate.