Influenza triggers demand for painkillers and anti-influenza drugs in the country

Santo Domingo, DR
High demand for anti-flu medicines, analgesics for fever and pain, anti-allergics, and vitamin C is being registered in the pharmaceutical establishments of the country, as a result of the high population affected by flu and respiratory processes, among them influenza and Covid-19.

Other medicines in high demand are chewable or non-chewable lozenges for sore throat and antibiotics such as azithromycin, widely used in the outpatient treatment of Covid-19.

The demand for these products has led to a slight shortage in some outlets, especially in Greater Santo Domingo, forcing patients to visit or call several of them to obtain the products.

The purchase of antibiotics and medicines to fight the sore throat and vitamin C, to increase the organism’s defenses, has increased, especially after the Mysterious of Public Health confirmed the presence in the country of the omicron variant.

This was revealed to Listin Diario by employees and representatives of pharmacies consulted yesterday in pharmaceutical establishments. “This flu that is going around makes them take vitamin C, acetaminophen and azithromycin. Those are flying off the shelves,” assured via telephone the employee of a pharmacy belonging to a recognized network of pharmacies located in the sector Mirador Sur, of the capital.

For several weeks now, both specialists and public and private health centers have reported a significant increase in the number of patients with respiratory diseases in their consultation, emergency, and hospitalization areas, many of them positive for influenza type A and B.

At the weekend, the Ministry of Health confirmed the identification in one of the samples of the presence of variant B.1.1.529 (Omicron) of SARS-CoV-2, which, according to the institution, is an imported case from South Africa, who presented mild symptoms, for which he received outpatient medical assistance, and subsequently evolved satisfactorily.