Pharmacies on the frontline
WITH MANY CUSTOMERS CONCERNED ABOUT STOCK LEVELS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, LOCAL PHARMACIES HAVE MOVED TO PLACATE FEARS
THE message emanating from pharmacies throughout the county is a simple one: There is enough stock, and we will remain open for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.
With so much uncertainty in the air and misinformation continuing to circulate on social media, those at the frontline of healthcare services in Wexford have moved to allay the concerns of the general public.
Grants Pharmacy operate stores in Wexford town, Enniscorthy
and Gorey, and owner and pharmacist Leonie Grant said the welfare of their customers remains their primary concern.
‘For us it’s about keeping people calm and reassuring them we have a supply of medications. We’re not closing, we will be open the entire time throughout this,’ said Leonie.
To protect both customers and staff, Grants have erected protective pods complete with perspex barriers to minimise the risk of infection and have asked customers to queue outside while they wait for their prescription.
‘The pod is two metres in depth and has a perspex barrier beteen customers and staff,’ explained Leonie. ‘We can still interact with customers, still give advice, but it creats a barrier between us.
‘We’re cleaning the pods every hour, and cleaning the credit card machines, we’re even cleaning the baskets we use for collecting the medication.’
And Leonie says the public reaction to the restrictions has been almost overwhelmingly positive.
‘I think the general public have been massively understanding, they’ve been thanking us through text, and they’re all very respectful which makes life a lot easier for us.
‘When we tell them they need to wait I haven’t come across any upset. The only additional advice we’d give is that it’s much easier if you email or call for your presciption in advance. It saves you having to come in and out of the pharmacy twice.’
With staff at Grants continuing to work as a team to ensure the most vulnerable members of society are looked after, Leonie said her only concern was the lack of acknowledgement those in her profession were receiving from the Irish government.
‘I’m hoping the government realise how much of a frontline service we are, I don’t think we’re recognised enough in that sense,’ she said.
‘We see the public more than the GP does, people present at their pharmacy more often than their GP. And that’s not something which is even acknowledged by our government. They’re focusing on test centres and hospitals. Maybe after this passes pharmacies will receive more acknowledgement.’
At Fortune’s Pharmacy in Ferrybank South, Managing Director Ciarán Lynch is cognisant of the fears of his customers but says he and the rest of the staff will continue to serve the community as the crisis unfolds.
‘We’re dealing with people who are vulnerable and scared, they’re scared for what it means for their health,’ said Ciarán. ‘But the message from this pharmacy is we will plough on. Our staff have been brilliant, it has been challenging but everyone is working together.’
By following guidelines set out by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSPC), dividing staff into teams to limit social interaction, and asking those exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19 to remain at home, Ciarán says Fortunes are taking every possible precuation to ensure the safety of their customers.
They have also recently taken
‘WE’RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE SCARED. BUT THE MESSAGE FROM THIS PHARMACY IS WE WILL PLOUGH ON.’
delivery of specialised protective equipment, gowns and masks which staff may need to wear if the scale of infection continues to rise.
For now though the priority is getting prescriptions into the hands of those unable to come to the pharmacy in person.
‘We’re delivering to vulnerable patients and we will increase that further if cocooning is necessary. Pharmacies are quite efficient at what they do, and in some ways we’ve already been through a mini-version of this with the snow and the floods.
‘We have an efficient logistical service from suppliers. We just want to keep going and serve people as best we can,’ said Ciarán.
And while spirits remain high at the pharmacy, Ciarán says there are a couple of issues beyond the control of he and his staff.
‘We’re still expected to collect levies from patients on medical cards which is difficult,’ he said. ‘And also, a lot people collecting their scripts, particularly older people, don’t have access to contactless payments and therefore have to pay in cash.’
Maintainng social distancing at Garahy’s Pharmacy in Enniscorthy presents problems of its own. Given the modest size of the store it can become crowded very quickly.
And so, to protect both staff and customers, Garahy’s have decided to close their doors while still remaining open for business.
Pharmacist at Garahy’s, Maria Ryan explains, ‘We have physically closed our doors to minimise contacts. We’ve had to close the doors and are now handing out scripts when people arrive outside.
‘Our shop is quite small so it’s hard to maintain social distancing inside. So if customers ring ahead they will be both minimising contact and saving time. Some people have come with their prescription and then returned to the car and we call them when their medication is ready.’
And Maria echoes Ciarán’s concerns about some older people not being able to pay for their prescription through contactless.
‘This is something we’re seeing a lot of, some of our customers don’t know what to do. But we know most of our regulars quite well so we facilitate them where possible.’
The welfare of staff and alleviating their concerns surrounding Covid-19 is also something which Garahy’s are prioriting.
‘It’s been quite a challenging time for us, but we’re trying to make sure our customers are looked after,’ said Maria. ‘We’ve split into two teams, and there’s no crossover, so if someone on the A team contracts the virus the B team can pick up their shift.
‘A lot of the staff have been here for many years so we’re very close knit, and we’re maintaining our spirits.’
However, as a cohort very much on the frontline of the healthcare system, Maria believes she and her colleagues need additional protective equipment as a matter of urgency.
‘I think more needs to be done for us in that regard, the support we’ve received from the government in relation to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is very little. But if hospitals are finding it hard to get then I can understand why we don’t have it.’