A Davao City health official has called on Dabawenyos not to resort to panic buying of Paracetamol while a group of pharmacists allayed fears of Paracetamol shortage in the city.
Davao City Task Force COVID-19 Spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser, on Monday, January 5, 2022, during the COVID-19 Alert program of 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR), said: “There is really no need to panic-buy Paracetamol. Mas maayo gyud i-treat ang underlying cause. Kung Covid man gani na sya, mas maayo ma-manage sya accordingly (It is better to treat the underlying cause. If it’s COVID-19, it’s better to have it managed accordingly).”
The high demand for Paracetamol, according to her, may be due to the flu season.
“Pero di gihapon ta makasiguro because fever, cough, body pains or body malaise, sintomas gihapon na sa Covid. Dili gihapon magkumpyansa (We can’t really be certain because fever, cough, body pains, or body malaise are symptoms of COVID-19. We should not be complacent),” Dr. Schlosser said.
She also reminded Dabawenyos that Paracetamols can be taken every four hours until the fever is resolved. But one must use a thermometer to determine the correct temperature.
She also said, “Dapat naa gyud fever. Dapat naay thermometer para ma-sure. Kung 37.5 feverish naka, lampas ka ana pwede na mag-take Paracetamol every four hours (You must have a fever. Use a thermometer to be sure. If your temperature is 37.5 and you are feverish or you exceed that, you can take paracetamol every four hours).”
Dr. Schlosser added that they have not yet received any report on paracetamol shortage in Davao City.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Pharmacists Association (PPA) Davao City Chapter on January 5, 2022, assured Davao City residents that there is no shortage of Paracetamol and other over-the-counter medicines for flu-like symptoms.
“While there is an apparent out of stock on specific brands of these medicines due to the rise in demand, rest assured that equivalent alternative branded and generic medicines are available for public consumption,” the PPA Davao statement said.
The association also urged the public to avoid hoarding of medicines to ensure access to those who need them. “We urge the public to be vigilant on the proliferation of fake medicines from opportunistic illegal sellers,” PPA Davao said, adding that the public must only buy medicines from trusted pharmacists and drugstores.
For any related information, contact the Food and Drug Administration at telephone number 295-2904. CIO
