You can help Joe’s Pharmacy stay open!

Our pharmacy is open and here to serve the community. In both normal times and times of crisis, we provide more than just medications; we are one of the first sources of accurate information and support. My staff and I will continue to handle this crisis head-on, and we have no intention of doing otherwise. Despite the uncertainties, my team and I come into work every day because this community is what is important. However, every day I question whether I have thought of everything we can do to help. We have worked tirelessly to find comfortable coverings, protective wear, sanitizers, and disinfectants to keep us all safe. We are constantly cleaning, sanitizing, re-stocking, and staying up-to-date with the evolving CDC guidelines, and I have full faith in the community to follow these guidelines and in my team to be there for our patients.

My newest concern is when flu season and COVID-19 will collide. For months, health experts have urged the public to wear masks, wash their hands and socially distance. As the flu season approaches, those practices have never been more crucial. Depending on whether people heed this advice, the U.S. could either see a record drop in cases or a dangerous viral storm. There is concern about the flu overlapping with COVID-19. We are hoping measures for COVID-19 will reduce flu transmission, but that is not guaranteed. This could be devastating for the healthcare system, but there are measures that could prevent it. The most important: getting a flu shot as soon as possible. Supplies will diminish quickly. While doctors are unsure about what exactly the next few months will bring, extra precaution is warranted. Wash your hands, use hand sanitizer, wear your mask and social distance.

Normally, our drive-thru is for available for prescription pick-up and drop-off only, but we have opened it as an alternative to all in-store shopping in hopes to reduce COVID-19 transmission. As we enter a flu season coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic, people are more wary of the unknown. Are my symptoms from the flu or could it be COVID-19? Am I putting at-risk people in even greater danger by not contributing to safety measures? Young, healthy people typically may not prioritize getting a flu shot, while some fear going out to get the flu shot may expose them to COVID-19. Compared to provider waiting rooms, pharmacies offer a quick option that will get you in and out with minimal wait times.

Joe’s Pharmacy will continue to be on the front lines with and for you. Stay safe and wash your hands.

In good health,

• Joe Shunnarah, RPh.
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