
Warren Wong |
December 29, 2022
Shortfalls of some cold and flu meds continue amid shifting respiratory virus season
Experts say there will likely be a post-holiday bump in respiratory virus numbers, and that could put an even greater strain on supplies of some medications that have been hard to find amid a severe illness season.
Children’s pain and fever medications might be the toughest products to find. Pharmacies say high flu activity has also led to sporadic shortfalls of Tamiflu and some over-the-counter cold and flu medicine for adults. But supplies of Covid-19 home tests are plentiful, as those case numbers begin to rise again.
Stores limit purchases
The RSV season arrived early this year, and cases have dropped dramatically over the past month. But with the virus still making the rounds – along with the flu and Covid-19 – and children’s fever reducers and pain medicines are harder to come by in some places.
Pharmacies say they have seen greater demand, and some big chains are limiting purchases in order to make the most of the existing supply.
Retailers nationwide are experiencing supplier fulfillment challenges due to increased demand of over-the-counter pediatric fever reducing products
Walgreens instituted limits on children’s pain and fever medications last week and continues to limit customers to six packages per online transaction to “prevent excess purchasing behavior.” It doesn’t have a limit on store purchases.
High flu activity means high demand
Flu activity remains high across the US. There have been an estimated 18 million flu cases, 90,000 hospitalizations and 23,000 deaths this season, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By some metrics, it’s the worst flu season in a decade.
That’s led to greater demand for the medication oseltamivir, also known as Tamiflu, which can help ease and shorten flu symptoms.
Walgreens has seen isolated temporary shortages of Tamiflu, and suggests that people who have a prescription for the drug call their local pharmacy to make sure it’s available there before coming in to pick it up.