The impact of Covid-19 on community and hospital pharmacists: a thematic analysis study

Abstract There are a limited number of studies examining the effects of the pandemic on the daily lives of Turkish community pharmacists, and no research investigating the impact on the lives of Turkish hospital pharmacists has been found. This study aimed to examine the effects of the pandemic on the personal and professional lives of Turkish community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists. In this qualitative study design, a comprehensive set of interviews was conducted with a total of 13 community pharmacists and 7 hospital pharmacists, employing a semi-structured interview guide. Through thematic content analysis of the interviews, four main themes, 1) long-term impacts, 2) dealing strategies, 3) professional life impacts, 4) personal life impacts, have emerged for both community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists. In addition to the psychological impacts and supply chain issues commonly mentioned in the literature, the study revealed ongoing effects such as the inability to sell available products and economic difficulties. Also, the increased demand for over-the-counter products during the pandemic highlights the need for the government to develop policies to address this issue.

Antimalarials and macrolides: a review of off-label pharmacotherapies during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Abstract We critically analyzed clinical trials performed with chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) with or without macrolides during the first wave of COVID-19 and discussed the design and limitations of peer-reviewed studies from January to July 2020. Seventeen studies were eligible for the discussion. CQ and HCQ did not demonstrate clinical advantages that justified their inclusion in therapeutic regimens of free prescription for treatment or prophylactic purposes, as suggested by health authorities, including in Brazil, during the first wave. Around August 2020, robust data had already indicated that pharmacological effects of CQ, HCQ and macrolides as anti-SARS-CoV-2 molecules were limited to in vitro conditions and largely based on retrospective trials with low quality and weak internal validity, which made evidence superficial for decision-making. Up to that point, most randomized and nonrandomized clinical trials did not reveal beneficial effects of CQ or HCQ with or without macrolides to reduce lethality, rate of intubation, days of hospitalization, respiratory support/mechanical ventilation requirements, duration, type and number of symptoms, and death and were unsuccessful in increasing virus elimination and/or days alive in hospitalized or ambulatory patients with COVID-19. In addition, many studies have demonstrated that side effects are more common in CQ-or HCQ-treated patients.

Ethnological aspects of COVID-19

Abstract Within recent past, coronavirus has shaken the whole world. The world faced a new pandemic of novel coronavirus 2019 (SARS-CoV-2/ COVID-19).It has socioeconomically impacted world population a lot in terms of education, economy as well as physical and mental health. This novel coronavirus is notorious enough that put human health at a great risk. Currently, researchers all over the world aretrying hard to develop a new drug/vaccine for its treatment. In past decades, the world population has faced various viral infectious illness outbreaks. Influenza A, Ebola, Zika, SARS and MERS viruses had whacked public health and economy. Medical science technology achieved the landmark in developing coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines that are approved currently for emergency use. Some of the recently approved vaccines are developed by Pfizer and Moderna, Johnson and Johnson, Gam-COVID-vac (Sputnik V), Bharat Biotech (covaxin) andOxford-AstraZeneca vaccines (covishield) (Badenet al., 2021). Here, a short review is drafted focusingon infection, immune system, pathogenesis, phylogenesis, mode of transmission and impact of coronavirus on health and economy and recent developments in treating COVID-19

Recomendaciones para una conducta temprana en el manejo clínico de los pacientes con Covid-19 / Recommendations for early behavior in the clinical management of patients with COVID-19

Hasta abril de 2020, se contabilizaba una cifra cercana a los dos millones de contagiados con SARS-Cov-2 [1], diseminándose a centenares de países en todo el mundo. El impacto se ha visto reflejado en todos los estratos sociales, afectando a los más carenciados y ha develado las grandes debilidades de las estructuras sanitarias frente a pandemias, en la gran mayoría de los gobiernos. En el mes de diciembre de 2019 aparecen los primeros pacientes con neumonía viral en Wuhan, China. Epidemiológicamente, todos los pacientes habían visitado el mercado de productos exóticos de dicha ciudad. A fines del mismo mes, un joven médico oftalmólogo de Wuhan describe, virtualmente, a siete pacientes con sintomatología similar al SARS y recomienda a sus amigos usar equipos de protección, por este hecho fue castigado por las autoridades policiales y más tarde fallecería por COVID-19. En la primera semana de enero, 2020, las autoridades chinas anuncian que han identificado un nuevo coronavirus (Co-V) en los pacientes que estaban siendo tratados por neumonía viral.

Until April 2020, there was about two million people infected with SARS-Cov-2 [1], spreading to hundreds of countries around the world. The impact has been reflected in all social strata, affecting the neediest people and has revealed the great weaknesses of health structures to face the pandemics in the majority of governments. In December 2019, the first patients with viral pneumonia appear in Wuhan, China. Epidemiologically, all the patients had visited the market with exotic products in that city. At the end of the same month, a young ophthalmologist from Wuhan virtually describes seven patients with symptoms similar to SARS and recommends his friends to wear protective equipment, for this fact he was punished by the police authorities and later died by COVID- 19. In the first week of January, 2020, Chinese authorities announce that they have identified a new coronavirus (Co-V) in patients who were being treated for viral pneumonia. A correct diagnosis of infected people is important in the present pandemic; it is based on three fundamental aspects: clinic, complementary examinations and imaging