Addressing Gaps In The Monitoring And Response To Influenza-Like Illness: Community Pharmacy-Based Feasibility Study
The COVID-19 response highlighted need for robust surveillance of viruses circulating through communities across Aotearoa New Zealand. Existing testing focuses primarily on the hospital and General Practice setting, which whilst essential and informative, limits the samples collected.
This research is assessing the feasibility of community pharmacy participation in the national influenza-like illness surveillance platform. Our established Pharmacy Research Network is undertaking this study, offering participation to people that present with symptoms of influenza-like illness (self-reported fever and cough in the past ten days).
The study is a single visit with the pharmacist who will collect some information about your health followed by the taking of a nasopharyngeal swab for sending to the ESR laboratory in Wellington.
This will allow us to see if community pharmacies are a viable setting to monitor viruses circulating in the community and determine if they are different to those detected in the General Practice and Hospital settings.
What is this study about?
This study aims to assess whether local community pharmacies are able to collect swab samples from the back of the nose and throat in people with symptoms of influenza-like illness.
The number of swabs taken during the study period, and types of viruses detected will be compared with local General Practices, to explore whether community pharmacy -based collection can enhance overall virus monitoring in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Who can take part?
You may be able to take part if you are older than 18 years old, registered with a GP and have both the following symptoms that have come on in the last 10 days:
✓ History of fever (can be measured or you report having felt feverish) and
✓ Cough
Who can’t take part?
This study isn’t suitable for everyone, we will need to confirm none of the following apply:
x Any condition, procedure or known issue with your face, nose and throat that might make swabbing difficult
x A bleeding disorder or current use of blood thinners
x Participation in the GP surveillance programme in the last 4 weeks
x You have had a COVID-19 infection in the last 6 months
Where is the study taking place?
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Jaks Pharmacy; The Warehouse Entrance 35 Cavendish Drive, Manukau City Centre, Auckland 2104;
Contact – 09 262 1815Newton Pharmacy, 283 Karangahape Road, Auckland
Contact - 09 373 2559Ōtahuhu 7 Day Chemist, 15 Station Road, Ōtāhuhu, Auckland 1062; Contact - 09 276 2172
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Tamatea Pharmacy; 7 Leicester Avenue, Tamatea, Napier 4112;
Contact – 06 843 4130 -
Life Pharmacy; Centre City Shopping Centre, 11 Gill Street, New Plymouth;
Contact – 06 759 4023
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Campus Pharmacy; 100 Knighton Road, Hillcrest, Hamilton 3216;
Contact – 07 838 4740 -
Unichem Mainstreet Pharmacy; 51 Tongariro Street, Taupō 3330; Contact - 07 378 2636
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Ranolf Pharmacy; 59 Ranolf Street, Victoria, Rotorua 3010;
Contact – 07 348 9011 -
Queen Street Pharmacy: 35 Queen Street, Upper Hutt Central; Upper Hutt 5018;
Contact - 04 528 5858 -
Unichem Petone Pharmacy: 240 Jackson Street, Petone; Lower Hutt 5012
Contact - 04 568 5357
Clive’s Chemist; 20/21 Queen Street, Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt 5014;
Contact – 04 564 8618 -
Unichem Wigram; 102 The Runway, Wigram, Christchurch 8042;
Contact – 03 595 0375 -
Anderson’s Exchange Pharmacy; 8 Broadway, Central Dunedin, Dunedin 9016;
Contact – 03 477 8247 -
Windsor Pharmacy; 62/64 Windsor Street, Windsor, Invercargill 9810; Contact - 03 217 8920
Enquire for more information
If we haven’t answered all of your questions here, please call or visit your local pharmacy listed above or email our team.
Ethics Line / Statement: Ethical aspects of the study approved by the Health and Disability Central Ethics Committee reference: 2024 FULL 19736
