Pharmacists Are on the Front Lines of COVID-19

As the world reels amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19) outbreak, pharmacists, along with other health care workers, are doing what they do best: playing a vital role in keeping patients healthy and safe and implementing infection prevention procedures.

Although the news surrounding this pandemic changes daily, what has been a constant is that pharmacists are delivering optimal care to their patients, despite being stressed and working extended hours, sometimes without personal protective equipment, such as gloves and masks. As a salute to those who are going above and beyond during this health crisis, Pharmacy Times® is celebrating the amazing pharmacy staff members who are on the front lines every day by featuring Pharmacy Heroes on the PharmacyTimes.com website.

These Pharmacy Heroes include Jennifer Cardona, PharmD, who works at an independent pharmacy in Puerto Rico. Despite her personal health concerns during this pandemic, she has provided great care for her patients, according to Glorimar Rivera, PharmD, BCPS, medication safety clinical specialty at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, who nominated Cardona.

In addition, PharmacyTimes.com has set up a coronavirus research center to bring pharmacists the latest and most comprehensive news, including clinical articles and videos from experts in the industry. Meanwhile, this issue of Pharmacy Times® includes a news page about coronavirus in our FromPT.com section and an article that discusses drug interactions to be aware of during the COVID-19 outbreak. And in this month’s Editor’s Note, Troy Trygstad, PharmD, PhD, MBA, Pharmacy Times® editor-in-chief, makes the case that pharmacists have the opportunity during the COVID-19 outbreak to further demonstrate their value.

Pharmacists also play a role in counseling patients, and in this issue, we offer a detailed feature on counseling patients with a very common symptom associated with COVID-19, cough. Pharmacists are also addressing this outbreak through the creative use of telehealth, and a timely story in this month’s issue details how pharmacists are employing this important tool. Also check out our features on the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and on how to help patients who have nasal polyps.

Finally, we want to extend our wishes to pharmacists and their families that they stay safe and well during this pandemic. Continue to keep providing great care to patients, but also remember to take care of yourselves.

Thank you for all that you do!

REFERENCE

Pharmacy hero: pharmacist continues to care for patients despite personal risks from COVID-19. Pharmacy Times. March 25, 2020. pharmacytimes.com/news/pharmacy-hero-pharmacist-continues-to-care-for-patients-despite-personal-risks-fromcovid-19. Accessed March 27, 2020.