Mehmed Bülend UĞUR, İrem Tutku ASLANBAY, Zeynep Sena MUŞ

The role of community pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.

Coronavirus pandemic started to spread in the U.S.A. with a few cases from February 2020, causing a national health crisis with the number of cases exceeding 30 million in June 2021. To improve the situation during the crisis, new regulations regarding community pharmacies were made and innovative solutions were introduced to protect public health. Community pharmacists, who are the most accessible healthcare professionals, have assumed new roles and responsibilities including COVID-19 testing and vaccination. The scale and way pharmacists' potential are used have played an important role in determining the fate of the COVID pandemic in the U.S.A. The purpose of this article is to address the expanding job descriptions and sacrifices of community pharmacists in the COVID-19 era from a holistic perspective.

PDF

___

[1] Ciotti M, Angeletti S, Minieri M, Giovannetti M, Benvenuto D, Pascarella S, Sagnelli C, Bianchi M, Bernardini S, Ciccozzi M. COVID-19 Outbreak: An Overview. Chemotherapy. 2019; 64(5-6): 215-223.
[2] WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020. https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-mediabriefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020, (accessed on 12 June 2021).
[3] Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center Mortality Analyses. coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality (accessed on 24 Aug 2015).
[4] Bashshur R, Doarn CR, Frenk JM, Kvedar JC, Woolliscroft JO. Telemedicine and the COVID-19 Pandemic, Lessons for the Future. Telemedicine and e-Health. 2020; 26(5): 571-573.
[5] Toklu HZ. Promoting evidence-based practice in pharmacies. Integr Pharm Res Pract. 2015; 4: 127-131.
[6] Toklu HZ. Eczacılık Uygulamalarında Akılcı İlaç Kullanımı. Türkiye Klinikleri J Pharmacol-Special Topics. 2015; 3(1): 74-83.
[7] Toklu HZ. Pharmacovigilance of Herbal Medicine: Herbavigilance. Adv Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2016; 5: 208.
[8] Visacri MB, Figueiredo IV, Lima TM. Role of pharmacist during the COVID-19 pandemic: A scoping review. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2021; 17(1): 1799-1806.
[9] Bach AT, Goad JA. The role of community pharmacy-based vaccination in the USA: current practice and future directions. Integr Pharm Res Pract. 2015; 4: 67-77.
[10] Community-Based Testing Sites for COVID-19. www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/community-based-testingsites/index.html (accessed on 25 June 2021).
[11] CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/index.html (accessed on 14 June 2017).
[12] Our World in Data Daily COVID-19 Test. ourworldindata.org/grapher/daily-covid-19-tests-smoothed-7- day?country=~USA (accessed on 20 Aug 2021)
[13] Cuan-Baltazar JY, Muñoz-Perez MJ, Robledo-Vega C, Pérez-Zepeda MF, Soto-Vega E. Misinformation of COVID-19 on the Internet: Infodemiology Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2020; 6(2): e18444.
[14] Strand MA, Bratberg J, Eukel H, Hardy M, Williams C. Community Pharmacists' Contributions to Disease Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Prev Chronic Dis. 2020; 17: E69.
[15] Ayseli YI, Aytekin N, Buyukkayhan D, Aslan I, Ayseli MT. Food policy, nutrition and nutraceuticals in the prevention and management of COVID-19: Advice for healthcare professionals. Trends Food Sci Technol. 2020; 105: 186-199.
[16] Shakoor H, Feehan J, Mikkelsen K, Al Dhaheri AS, Ali HI, Platat C, Ismail LC, Stojanovska L, Apostolopoulos V. Be well: A potential role for vitamin B in COVID-19. Maturitas. 2021; 144: 108-111.
[17] Yisak H, Ewunetei A, Kefale B, Mamuye M, Teshome F, Ambaw B, Yideg Yitbarek G. Effects of Vitamin D on COVID19 Infection and Prognosis: A Systematic Review. Risk Manag Healthc Policy. 2021; 14: 31-38.
[18] Alschuler L, Weil A, Horwitz R, Stamets P, Chiasson AM, Crocker R, Maizes V. Integrative considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Explore (NY). 2020; 16(6): 354-356.
[19] Colunga Biancatelli RML, Berrill M, Catravas JD, Marik PE. Quercetin and Vitamin C: An Experimental, Synergistic Therapy for the Prevention and Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 Related Disease (COVID-19). Front Immunol. 2020; 11: 1451.
[20] Rajagopal K, Varakumar P, Baliwada A, Byran G. Activity of phytochemical constituents of Curcuma longa (turmeric) and Andrographis paniculata against coronavirus (COVID-19): an in silico approach. Futur J Pharm Sci. 2020; 6(1): 104.
[21] Hess K, Bach A, Won K, Seed SM. Community Pharmacists Roles During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Pharm Pract. 2020: 897190020980626.
[22] CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Federal Retail Pharmacy Partnership Program. www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid19/retail-pharmacy-program/index.html (accessed on 22 Aug 2021).
[23] PHE Renewal of Determination That A Public Health Emergency Exists. www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/COVID-15April2021.aspx (accessed on 22 Aug 2021).
[24] Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/03/16/2020- 05578/suspension-of-entry-as-immigrants-and-nonimmigrants-of-certain-additional-persons-who-pose-a-risk-of (accessed on 29 May 2021).
[25] Executive Department State of California Executive Order N-33-20. https://covid19.ca.gov/img/Executive-OrderN-33-20.pdf (accessed on 18 Aug 2021).
[26] PSNC Flue Vaccination – FAQs. https://psnc.org.uk/services-commissioning/advanced-services/flu-vaccinationservice/flu-vaccination-faqs/ (accessed on 21 Aug 2021).
[27] Paudyal V, Fialová D, Henman MC, Hazen A, Okuyan B, Lutters M, Cadogan C, da Costa FA, Galfrascoli E, Pudritz YM, Rydant S, Acosta-Gómez J. Pharmacists' involvement in COVID-19 vaccination across Europe: a situational analysis of current practice and policy. Int J Clin Pharm. 2021; 43(4): 1139-1148.
[28] Merks P, Religioni U, Bilmin K, Lewicki J, Jakubowska M, Waksmundzka-Walczuk A, Czerw A, Barańska A, Bogusz J, Plagens-Rotman K, Świetlik D, Drelich E, Świeczkowski D, Lambert J, Jaguszewski M, Juszczyk G, Balkhi B, Vaillancourt R. Readiness and Willingness to Provide Immunization Services after Pilot Vaccination Training: A Survey among Community Pharmacists Trained and Not Trained in Immunization during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021; 18(2): 599.