PHARMACIES played a life-saving role dispensing ventolin on Mon evening during a 'thunderstorm asthma' emergency in Melbourne which left two people dead.
Hospitals were swamped with thousands of asthmatics who reacted badly to the heavy spread of pollen after a severe thunderstorm swept through the Victorian capital, following the hottest day of the year.
Guild National Councillor and business partner of Guild president George Tambassis at Tambassis Pharmacy Brunswick, Angelo Pricolo, praised his staff for their efforts after they assisted patients.
"People were being turned away from hospital and sent to us.
"We sold easily 200 hundred ventolins," one of the pharmacy staff members wrote to him.
"Customers were dropping in the shop, Irbaz [a staff member] was giving out ventolin while they were in line waiting to be served! It was absolute mayhem, I've never been so overwhelmed".
Asthma Australia issued a statement after the incident, saying "Melbourne weather is highly unpredictable and although events like this are rare, it is difficult to foresee the effect they will have.
"That is why it is important that asthma is kept well-controlled year round," the organisation's ceo Robin Ould said.
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