The Official College of Pharmacists of the Balearics (Cofib) has reported an increase in sales of flu medicines, face masks, dual tests (to detect COVID-19 and flu), hydroalcoholic gels and cough medicines due to the flu in the last three weeks. The vice-president of Cofib, Maria Ferret, hasa admitted that they do not have specific data for the Balearics but attributed the increase to the flu outbreak in the region.
She highlighted the upturn in demand for hydroalcoholic gel, which since the end of the pandemic ‘seemed to have been forgotten by people’ but is now in high demand. The reason is that ‘people have become more aware of prevention’ and she underlined this with the fact that some people are going to pharmacies wearing masks. ‘Now you see at least people who are immunocompromised or sick wearing masks, and this was not the case before,’ she pointed out.
As for tests, she said that there is “stable” and ‘normal’ demand for what are epidemic peaks, as she compared it to the COVID-19 peaks that have occurred since the end of the health crisis. With regard to masks, Ferret has noticed that there has been an increase in demand for FFP-2 masks recently, as there is not much difference in price compared to surgical masks, making them ‘very affordable’, but ‘it’s not that people have gone crazy’.
When asked for some figures that might give an indication of the phenomenon, the pharmacist said that the Cooperativa d’Apotecaris had told her that sales of masks and tests had approximately tripled. Even so, she clarified that there is ‘sufficient’ stock to get through the winter and ‘no shortage’ of these products is expected due to the flu. In fact, she pointed out that the cooperative is one of the suppliers but that they work with others to obtain supplies.