Severe paucity of Tamiflu, anti-virals has patients and familes on edge

Oxygen, beds and Remdesivir are not the only essentials in the city’s arsenal against COVID-19 that are in short supply. Families and friends of patients who develop severe symptoms are finding it inc

Oxygen, beds and Remdesivir are not the only essentials in the city’s arsenal against COVID-19 that are in short supply. Families and friends of patients who develop severe symptoms are finding it increasingly difficult to get their hands on antiviral medicines like Tamiflu/Fabiflu. Software engineer Deepak S. spent two days scouring pharmacies in the city before he could get his hands on 20 tablets of Fabiflu that a doctor had prescribed for his elderly COVID-19 positive mother, who is currently isolating herself at home. “I may have called or visited over 50 pharmacies before I could find the tablets through a friend who is a doctor,” he said. The emand for antibiotics and anti-parasite drugs prescribed for COVID-19 patients has picked up over the last one month, which the chemists are able to meet adequately. “However, there is a severe paucity of supply of Tamiflu/Fabiflu tablets making it impossible to match the demand, creating a large gap,” said M. J. Ravindra Kumar, secretary, Bengaluru Chemists and Druggists Association.