Brooklyn Pharmacy

16/04/2025

Morning Brooklynites,
2025 Flu vaccination season is upon us. This year there is a high uptake of flu vaccinations which is pleasing considering the gnarly flu the northern hemisphere has had this year. We also offering the new Pfizer JN .1 Covid 19 vaccination to those eligible. We have been surprised at how many people didn’t realise there was an updated booster avaliable and just how many people have been eligible for the booster as Covid infections have dropped off.

You can recieve both flu and covid vaccinations together or separately what ever your preference.

We have bookings available but this year it’s pretty relaxed and you’re welcome to just walk in.

You can call us and make a booking on 9396631.
Attached is a link to the vaccination online booking system.

https://bookings.gettimely.com/unichembrooklynpharmacy/bb/book

We are offering 15% off in store purchases on the day you receive any vaccination.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you all.

Online appointment booking

26/03/2024

Morning Brooklynites,
2nd April will be the start of the 2024 flu vaccination season. We are of course offering this service to our community. We are also offering the new Omicron XBB 1.5 Covid19 vaccination rolled out on 7th March to those eligible.
You can recieve both flu and covid vaccinations together or separately what ever your preference.

We are doing casual walk ins as well as taking bookings this year and have made big effort to plan a less chaotic vaccination season than last year when the government rolled out the original covid 19 omicron booster with out warning overnight making an extreme set of circumstances for all pharmacies.

You can call us and make a booking on 9396631.
Attached is a link to the vaccination online booking system.

https://bookings.gettimely.com/unichembrooklynpharmacy/bb/book

We are offering 15% off in store purchases on the day you receive any vaccination.

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you all.

Online appointment booking

28/06/2023

It was announced in this years budget that the government will remove the $5 copayment charge on prescriptions from an eligible prescriber as of the 1st of July 2023. This will make a huge difference to the health and wellbeing of so many people around New Zealand as the prescription tax had been a barrier for people collecting prescriptions.

For us at Unichem Brooklyn Pharmacy it means that we are no longer having to compete with other pharmacies that offer “free prescriptions”. Some of our patients have asked why we don’t offer free prescriptions and it has always been a pretty difficult conversation for us. These “discounter pharmacies” business plan was to absorb the prescription tax and rely on customers purchasing multiple products off the shelf in store. We are absolutely for access to health care for everyone. As are we for everyone to be able to seek and receive healthcare in a way they prefer. However the government relies on small businesses in local communities to provide community pharmacy services to local communities and the business model has to work and we simply could not have sustained waiving the prescription tax although we would have loved to. It is not to do with any pay rise for us nor is it to do with financial gain for the pharmacy as a business. This is about access to healthcare and supporting our local community pharmacies to be sustainable businesses for the future. Hopefully we will here to stay and be having conversations about your health and wellbeing not having a ‘money conversation’ about collecting a government tax or why we can’t waive the fee.

To our people, our customers, our community that have stayed with us, we say THANK YOU. THANK YOU from your local community pharmacy, who just want to make a difference. You have supported us through the most transformative years for community pharmacy EVER over COVID. We have tried to play our part. We have tried to adapt and make very considered decisions about the introduction and provision of new services as they have been rolled out in response to what our community needed to compliment our other available healthcare services from our healthcare providers. Sometimes we have not been at our best as we have been under immense pressure or a huge workload and we iron out new processes and the logistics side of things but regardless kindness and care and community are always always at the centre of what we do.
So THANK YOU. We look forward to seeing you and your families soon!

Unichem Brooklyn Team

17/02/2023

Wellington College are collecting things to fill two trucks leaving for the cyclone ravaged Hawkes Bay tomorrow evening, saturday 18th february.
If anyone has anything you may consider useful please you can leave it at the pharmacy for us to take to wellington college in next two days.

We feel incredibly lucky but also useless watching some of these people left in heartbreaking hopeless scenarios so any way we can help we will.

13/07/2022

Just a thought tonight for our next door neighbours!

Unfortunately the cellar room next door was ram raided in the early hours of the morning.

We are a small community that cares for our locals and the small businesses that make up our village. It is so sad to see such destructive crime in our place. We are thankful no one was hurt. And the building is safe although in need of repairs of course.

Covid has taught us all (or rather retaught us) the importance of our local communities, networks, businesses and people. There are many outstanding Brooklynlanders which we are proud to know! We have the pleasure everyday of looking after/serving, working with and working for. The last thing that Derek and his team deserves is this senseless act of stupidity. We are in the midst of the predicted ”big sick” and small businesses are navigating staff shortages/absenteeism, economic pressures and supply chain disruptions on the back of the last two years or so.

So just a big shout out of support to The Cellar Room and anyone else in our village that is a little shook. Wish Derek some sleep. And of course if your passing to show them support and custom. Trust us. It makes all the difference!

06/07/2022

Second COVID Booster!

As illuded go in prior post the ministry of health have announced the following.

Starting Tuesday 28.6.2022 the second COVID booster will be avaliable to the following groups:
- health and aged-care and disability workers over the age of 30.
- everyone over the age of 50 and recommended for anyone over the age of 65.
- Maori and Pacific peoples older than 50.
- people who are severely immunocomprimised.

The second covid booster is for people who are at risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

Timing of this is crucial and can be a little tricky if you have had a COVID-19 infection. It is given a minimum of six months after a first booster. But it is also given atleast 3 months after recovery from COVID-19.

The number of people in wellington that are eligible is over 180000. It will be important in our predicted second wave. Please call in at your leisure or book on the book my vaccine website.

06/07/2022

The demand for Influenza Vaccinations has been huge this year! You are welcome to come and recieve an influenza vaccination as always at the pharmacy. No need to book although you can if you would like.

We just wanted to reiterate and maybe clarify the ministry of health announcement made a week ago regarding the extension of a funded flu vaccination eligibility.

From 1st Jy 2022 there are additional eligible populations for the funded influenza vaccination:

1. People under 65 years of age who have any of the following mental health conditions:
-schizophrenia
-major depressive disorder
-bipolar disorder
-schizoaffective disorder
-are currently accessing secondary or tertiary mental health and addiction services

2. Children whom are 3 to 12 years (inclusive) of age during the 2022 calender year.

This is in addition to the existing funded populations.

Unfortunately CCDHB and HVDHB have huge influenza case numbers at the minute. And our hospitals and gps are not only operating at 110% of capacity many services are operating with very limited staff. So if you think the flu vaccination is for you or would like more information please come and see us or give us a call.

In addition to influenza the pharmacy does offer covid19 vaccinations. This is also a walk-in service. If bookings your thing. We are active site on book my vaccine.

Keep healthy and warm over this winter.

The Unichem Brooklyn Pharmacy Team

08/04/2022

From Thursday 7 April people aged 16 or 17 can get a COVID-19 booster from any walk-in vaccination site without booking, provided it has been 6 months since completing their primary vaccine course.

From Thursday 14 April bookings can be made through Book My Vaccine. (www.BookMyVaccine.nz)

04/04/2022

“Help Save Otis”

We don’t often do this.

But this is a cause very close to our hearts…..

We would like to contribute towards the “help save otis” givealittle fundraising efforts.

Because RATs are staying with us…. They will be essential as we navigate our personal risks this year. Whether it be businesses doing surveillance checks once or twice a week on employees or if you are just going to go and see a grandparent or a person whom is sick/vulnerable and you want extra peace of mind…..

We would like to offer a special… .

For any purchase of a 5 pack of orient gene RAT tests for $38.99 we will discount to $32.99 and donate 5 dollars to the “help save otis” give a little effort.

For any purchase of an ecotest 20 pack of RAT tests for $129.00 we will donate $15.00 to the “help save otis” give a little effort.

If you are interested please email us
unichembrooklynpharmacy@gmail.com with subject RATs for Otis and we will arrange payment and delivery to you.

Any purchase big or small will help this wonderful family in unimaginable circumstance.

https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/otiss-fight-with-cancer

31/03/2022

Just a correction to an earlier post or update rather.
Yesterday the health sector received - The Immunisation Advisory Centre: Everything You Need to Know About Flu 2022

It has some important changes.

The first is regarding funded flu vaccinations. They have extended fully funded flu vaccinations to all Maori and Pacifica peoples aged 55 years and over.

The second is regarding the observation time after a vaccination. See the chart below. As you can see if you are wanting to wait just the five minutes you will need to come with another adolescent or adult.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

31/03/2022

Just to let Brooklyn community know……

We now have enough staff and capacity to offer supervised RAT tests for international travel!

All we need is your full name as per your passport and to confirm your identity using photo ID!

If negative you recieve a verified certificate which you pack alongside your passport and travel documents and your good to go!

Apologies to those we have turned away up until now it was a bridge too far with workload! We want to provide every service with best practise and we needed a minute to set the service up properly. We really love the idea of people being able to travel again and being reunited with their people and places. There will be some very emotional reconnections we are sure!

We have been using timely to book flu vaccinations and you can also use this to book a supervised RAT test by scanning the qr code or clicking link below. You are also welcome to call in but if we have other things going on there may be a short wait.

It is unfortunately not funded and so will be an added cost to your travels! We are charging $60 per test (tested included). And have a special for $69 you can have your supervised RAT test performed and certified and get two 3m n95 respirator masks to wear on your travels.

We look forward to hearing some happy stories!

https://bookings.gettimely.com/unichembrooklynpharmacy/bb/book