Pharmacists are working out how best to protect themselves, their employees and customers while providing the daily medicines and medical supplies people need.
Keith Guy, who owns Guy’s Innovative Pharmacy in McComb and Summit, said business at his stores has surged in recent weeks, with customers from all over the area stocking up a 90-day supply of emergency necessities and daily medicines.
Workers in his pharmacies are wearing masks, which they usually do in situations where they’re handling drugs anyway, and employees are encouraged to wear gloves and are required to follow state and national health guidelines regarding personal hygiene, Guy said.
The lobbies at his stores are closed but customers can still purchase their medicines curbside and at drive-up windows, he said.
Customers seem to be purchasing in large quantities natural and herbal supplements meant to boost the human immune system, a category of product Guy’s is known for. Vitamin C and D, selenium and zinc supplements are flying off the shelves.
“The zinc sold out quickly, but we got some more in the store,” Guy said. “Zinc is very, very important.”
In cases of severe illness, a patient may be encouraged to take a treatment of intravenous vitamin C. The pharmacy has had the capability to administer vitamin C IVs for years, and they haven’t yet treated a coronavirus patient in that way, but Guy said he anticipates they may be asked to and that staff are prepared to do so.
Guy said people are coming around to the use of natural supplements to protect health.
“It seems to be so important,” he said. “People have picked up on this.”
While a national debate is raging about the efficacy in treating coronavirus of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug used widely and for decades all around the world, Guy said he hasn’t seen any noticeable uptick in prescriptions because of the crisis.
“We haven’t seen a lot here yet; there’s still controversy,” Guy said. “Some say it’s unproven, but there’s been good results in New York.”
Some argue that to perscribe hydroxychloroquine to treat symptoms of coronavirus could be dangerous because the FDA hasn’t approved the drug for that use, while others say the drug is used commonly around the world and scientific studies suggest it showed a strong effect in treating SARS patients in the early 2000s.
The pharmacy normally delivers medications, especially to patients in hospice, and under the circumstances Guy said he’s making after-hours deliveries himself in order to keep his employees off the street during curfew. He also gave all of his employees a letter to show officials if stopped while driving a delivery or otherwise.
“Hospice nurses are doing a tremendous job,” Guy said. “They come by and pick up medicine and deliver it and Guy’s also has delivery service that goes all day.”
While the pharmacy is busy, with a surge of demand for common medicines and other products such as hand sanitizer, the staff has been keeping up with the latest medical research about coronavirus.
Guy said he’s anticipating a drop in business soon, with industry projections indicating things will slow down now that people have had a chance to stockpile daily medicines.
While personal protective equipment, including gloves, masks and hand sanitizer are sparsely available for purchase, Guy said his staff has enough for the time being in order to continue their work in a sanitary environment.
He said his business had modest amounts of masks and gloves before the crisis because they use those items every day. Just like other pharmacies and medical clinics, supply chain issues are hampering receipt of needed orders.
And in the midst of shortages of disinfectant, staff at the pharmacy are making their own, Guy said. FDA guidelines limit ingredients his staff are able to use to make hand sanitizer to either ethyl alcohol, or drinking alcohol, and 99% alcohol that they’re apparently having difficulty sourcing.
Because of sourcing issues, Guy said his staff have been making a 75% mixture and donating it to local emergency services providers — most recently to the Pike County and Lincoln County sheriff’s offices.
As of Tuesday morning, Guy’s in McComb had limited availability of two-ounce bottles and pint bottles of hand sanitizer for purchase, but Guy said those usually sell like hotcakes.
“We have a good bit on order,” he said. “When or whether it will come in or not, you never know.”
