Health Warnings

Asthma and Paracetamol Shortage Hits Pharmacies Amid Coronavirus Panic Buying

As a result of growing panic buying, Ventolin and children’s paracetamol are now restricted purchases at your local pharmacy.

If you’ve been holding off on filling your prescription or hitting up the chemist for medicine cabinet top ups, don’t wait. Especially don’t wait if they’re medicines or apparatus of which your loved one’s life depends on, such as those required by asthma sufferers.

A medicine shortage is imminent

Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a condition which largely effects the respiratory system and as a result, ventolin is flying off pharmacy shelves.

Around 2.7 million Australians (that’s one in nine people) are affected by asthma. And unfortunately panic buying hasn’t stopped at the supermarket checkout. For many, it’s extended to the local chemist. Ventolin, the primary medicine used to relieve asthma is sure to be running low at many chemists, with no immediate relieving stock on hand.

Sales restricted due to COVID-19 panic

Pharmacists are now restricting Ventolin sales. Furthermore, children’s paracetamol has also now been moved to behind the chemist counter for purchasing as to prevent medication hoarding and stockpiling.

Deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly announced new restrictions today after people panicked and stocked up on medications in an alarmed response to the latest pandemic.

“Please do not buy more than you need for anything, whether that’s food and particularly medicines,” he said to reporters in Canberra.

Rolling out across the nation, children’s paracetamol and asthma medication, Ventolin, will now be limited to ONE purchase per person to stop Coronavirus hoarding.

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From all of us here at Mum Central, we want us all to be calm and prepared but please, please if you don’t need it, don’t buy it. Only buy what you need. We’re all in this together, let’s look out for one another.

 

Avatar of Lexi Klaebe

South Australian mum and self proclaimed foodie, Lexi can most days be found in the kitchen, apron tied firm and armed with a whisk or wooden spoon!

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