Pharmacists and COVID-19

Abstract

In the fight against COVID-19, frontline health workers have been vital to keeping the pandemic at bay, but recognition of individual professions' efforts have been inconsistent at all levels. Pharmacists around the world have continued to provide direct patient care and perform frontline duties for their communities during this pandemic, but are often relegated to the background and overlooked when frontline workers are heralded. Community pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare practitioners, which is further proven during the pandemic as they continued to provide direct patient care despite restrictions imposed by the government due to the pandemic. Due to the inaccessibility of other healthcare practitioners during this time, community pharmacists have reduced the burden on the healthcare system by diverting the influx of patients away from hospitals through triaging and screening patients. Community pharmacists have played various roles in supporting the healthcare system during COVID-19: delivering medications to patients, educating patients on telehealth services, assessing patients for renewal of chronic medications, performing consultations on minor ailments, clarifying misconceptions about COVID-19 treatments, and contributing to COVID-19 screening. Alongside ICU nurses, physicians, and respiratory therapists, hospital pharmacists have been part of the COVID-19 efforts and their roles include management of drug shortages, development of treatment protocols, participation of patient rounds, interpretation of lab results for COVID-19, participant recruitment for clinical trials, exploration of new drugs, medication management advice, and antimicrobial stewardship. Further support from pharmacists will be needed once a vaccine is launched in order to reach population-wide coverage. Amid COVID-19, pharmacists have not stopped working as frontline workers and they should be recognized as such.

COVID-19: Needs assessment of the pharmacy profession and contributions so far across the Commonwealth

“…This was however reassuring as most respondents were able to identify some level of involvement of pharmacy as part of a COVID-19 response. These ndings are in line with the literature available on the role of pharmacy in managing health crises, which highlight the key bene ts of partnerships between the pharmacy sector and government bodies in ensuring an optimal pandemic response [20][21][22][23][24].…”

“…CPA has also contributed to the advocacy papers ahead of the (postponed) biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) that was set to take place in Kigali in Kigali, Rwanda on [22][23][24][25][26][27] June 2020. These efforts seek to raise the pro le of the profession alongside issues that need to be brought to the attention of policy makers relating to medicines and progressing towards Universal Health Coverage.…”

Mental health issues impacting pharmacists during COVID-19

“…Pharmacists are one of the frontline HCWs working diligently to provide much-needed services during the pandemic [20][21][22][23][24][25][26]. Pharmacist-provided services have shown to improve patient outcomes and contribute to healthcare savings [26].…”

Pharmacists continue to protect communities during COVID-19

“…1 Help them understand how pharmacists can contribute to information sharing, education, identification of the vulnerable, vaccine delivery, documentation, and adverse event surveillance. 6,7 Optimize your pharmacy's ability to communicate with your state or local immunization information system.…”