VICTORIAN community pharamcy workers are once again moving to reassure patients they do not need to stockpile medicines following Fri's announcement of a "circuit-breaker" lockdown.
Pharmacy Guild of Australia Victorian Branch President, Anthony Tassone, told Pharmacy Daily, there were reports from pharmacies across the State of patients seeking to boost their supplies of prescription and over-the-counter medicines, following Premier, Daniel Andrews' announcement of the return to Stage Four restrictions on Fri, as part of a five-day "circuit-breaker" lockdown.
"I witnessed and experienced this myself in my own pharmacy on Fri afternoon immediately after the announcement," he said.
"These were nowhere near the level we saw last year with the first wave of the pandemic in Mar 2020.
"However, it poses an ongoing challenge for community pharmacy staff in trying to reassure the public there is no need to stockpile medicines whilst they are dealing with many medicine shortages that are not necessarily related to the COVID pandemic."
Speaking this morning, Andrews said he was "not in a postion to be able to confirm" that restrictions would be eased as planned from 11:59pm on Wed.
Tassone said the if the lockdown continues beyond Wed, pharmacies would continue to be there for patients throughout "these challenging and uncertain times".
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