Pharmacies have always played an integral role in local communities. With coronavirus affecting every region, the role of pharmacies has grown and expanded to supporting the community on an even wider scale. Here are 3 ways that pharmacies help the community during COVID-19.
1. Sharing accurate medical advice
Individuals with and without existing conditions are looking for answers to their pressing medical questions in regards to how COVID-19 may affect their health. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in your local community are usually the first point-of-care for patients, and thank to their wide expertise they are able to share medical advice that is relevant to each individual. Many people have many questions about potential drugs or vaccines which they can receive accurate and up-to-date information on at their local pharmacy. Members of the community with pre-existing conditions may require additional drug supply management when facing situation like lockdowns and quarantines, and pharmacy staff are able to provide guidance on how patients can find better quality of life and piece of mind through this guidance.
2. Administering testing
Many regions across Canada are seeing pharmacies expanding to include COVID-19 testing, which is a crucial element to help stop the spread and flatten the curve. Pharmacy staff including pharmacy technicians are now becoming a resource on the frontline of fighting COVID-19 through their hard work to ease the burden on hospitals and other medical facilities by administering safe, socially distanced testing.
3. Advocating for the Community
Many pharmacy staff end up becoming the most frequent healthcare professional in a patient’s network due to their connectivity to their local community. Due to this close relationship, pharmacies can end up hearing about the needs and wants of patients in their region. Many advancements such as medication delivery, drive-through pharmacies, and telemedicine are being advocated by the very pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who support their local patients and community at large.
