As part of phase 2a the National Cabinet has decided to use Victoria's pharmacy network to deliver the vaccine to rural and regional communities.

Stawell Pharmacy pharmacist Scott Savage said the pharmacy had been contacted by the federal government to act as a COVID-19 vaccination centre, but was unaware of when the program would begin.

"As far as we are aware those plans are emerging with further guidance to be provided," he said.

Phase 2a of the vaccine program will target priority groups left out of the first phase of the rollout.

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Groups include; adults aged between 20-69, Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders between 18-54 years, and other critical and high-risk workers.

The final locations are still to be approved by the Department of Health, who have liaised with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.

Mr Savage said the AstraZeneca was most likely to be delivered through pharmacies.

"The Pfizer vaccine is one that needs to be kept at very cold temperatures - the correct storage of that Pfizer vaccine is more likely to be managed within places with bigger better facilities," he said.

"The big hospitals will have particular freezers to support the Pfizer vaccines."

Pharmacy Guild of Australia national President Trent Twomey said the decision to use pharmacies would increase the total uptake of the vaccine in rural and regional communities.

"For Australians living in regional communities and the outback, 65 per cent of people are within 2.5 km of a pharmacy," he said.

"For those whose home is a plane flight to the nearest hospital, for those living in small rural towns and in remote communities, the answer for State and Territory governments to keep people healthy is the network of local community pharmacies right across the country.

"Using these pharmacies will help to ensure that communities in these areas are not disadvantaged by any focus on mass vaccination sites in metropolitan areas."

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