Andhra directs pharmacies to note down details of those buying flu-based OTC drugs

In a notification to all medical shops and pharmacies, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has expressed caution regarding customers purchasing over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for fever, cold and cough advising the pharmacies that such customers could be potential COVID-19 positive patients.

In its advisories the state government has asked medical shops to beware of such patients and to note down their name, address and phone numbers since they could be either showing symptoms of COVID-19 or hiding disclosure to the government to avoid the 14-day mandatory quarantine. This comes after officials reported that they have been receiving numerous reports of people purchasing medicines like paracetamol to suppress fever, cold and cough, which could potentially be symptoms of Coronavirus.

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“You are requested to convene a meeting with medical shops owners and pharmacists associations urgently and instruct them to necessarily take phone number and contact address of people who are coming to buy these medicines,” the memo read. “The shopkeepers should also tell customers that getting themselves tested is for their benefit. This will go a long way in containing the spread of the virus in a pro-active manner,” the memo added.

Telangana has reported 562 positive cases COVID-19 as of Saturday. Of these, 66 cases reported on Friday alone, according to the State Health Department. As of now, Andhra Pradesh has recorded 603 cases of the virus with 15 deaths due to the virus.

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