COVID-19 Update
In less than one month since my last blog about COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019), the situation around this disease has evolved rapidly and nobody is sure when this pandemic will end. Not only has the virus spread quickly across the world, but panic has spread as well.
It is impossible to listen to the news without hearing updates about the “Coronavirus” (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19. You can find daily tallies of cases in your city, state, country, and globally. Like many other states, the state of Colorado has taken actions to prevent further spread of the virus. In Colorado, all non-essential businesses have been forced to close their doors, many people must work from home, and citizens have been instructed to stay at home unless it is absolutely necessary to leave for work, food, exercise, or for obtaining medications and medical supplies.
Rest assured; pharmacies will remain open throughout this crisis.
Keeping yourself well over the next several months is more important than ever. Taking care of yourself includes taking your medications regularly. This is especially true for those with any health conditions that weaken the immune system and put you at additional risk for the more serious complications of COVID-19, like hospitalization or death. While there are concerns for potential drug shortages due to international suppliers, the situation is being closely monitored and may not impact you.
Coronavirus
The tips listed below can help you manage your medicines during this time.
- Keep track of which medicines you are beginning to run low on
- Plan ahead to maintain your personal medication supply
- Check to make sure you have available refills on your prescriptions
If you don’t have refills available, ask your pharmacy to send a refill request to your doctor
• Don’t wait until the last minute to refill your medication
If the pharmacy does not have your medicine in stock, it may need to be ordered or filled at a different pharmacy
- Check with your pharmacy to see if you are eligible to fill a 90-day supply of your prescription, which will reduce the number of trips you’ll take to the pharmacy
- This often depends on if your pharmacy policies, insurance, and available refills
It is important to stay home and help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Find a balance between keeping yourself informed and becoming overwhelmed or stressed by the news of this pandemic. If you are looking for updates about COVID-19, make sure to get them from reliable sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO). Don’t forget to take care of yourself mentally and physically. Importantly, be proactive about maintaining your personal medication supply to avoid running out of medicine.
If you are feeling overwhelmed or increasingly stressed about the COVID-19 pandemic, the CDC has written about managing stress and anxiety here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/managing-stress-anxiety.html
Resources:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-as-they-happen
