Atlanta

Pharmacies facing shortage of certain drugs amid coronavirus outbreak

ATLANTA — Some local pharmacists say they are seeing a major influx of customers looking for help, and are facing a potential shortage of certain drugs.

Pharmacists say, if you can, order prescriptions for delivery at home and avoid the pharmacy.

At Tuxedo pharmacy in Buckhead customers are met by a pharmacist in gloves and mask before they ever get to the front door.

"We’re doing this to protect both ourselves and our patients," said pharmacists Mina Yun.

Community pharmacies like Tuxedo have found themselves on the front lines of this crisis.

Customers who are avoiding ER's and urgent cares are turning to them with questions about symptoms and next steps.

Yun says the volume of phone calls has been overwhelming.

“Our volume has increased by about 100% right now,” she said.

There has also been a rush on some medications.

Yun says they are seeing lots of requests to fill the medications President Trump and others have pointed to as possible coronavirus treatments.

"They’re not for people to have on hand just in case because they heard it might be effective. We are anticipating shortages right now so we are trying to be good stewards of these medications and to dispense only as necessary,” Yun said.