Pharmacists are asking people to be honest if they know they''re infected with COVID. Government COVID rules are much more lax now than they were a year ago, despite the numbers of COVID cases being at an all-time high. Even so, many COVID patients ignore the rules that exist. Some patients even head to a pharmacy after they test positive for COVID, putting pharmacists at risk.
This pharmacy has its metal shutters pulled down and a notice says “The pharmacist has COVID. We will be shut for 10 days. Please do not queue here for rapid tests.”
Since the pandemic worsened, front-line medical staff have been at risk, and so have pharmacists, as they sell rapid tests and medicines, coming into daily contact with hundreds of COVID patients. They do all they can to stay safe, but many pharmacists have caught the virus recently, and many caught it from customers who thought they could avoid isolation because their symptoms were light.
Yang Hsin-hsin
Pharmacist
He had COVID, and he brought the positive test to show us. Another one took off their mask and said, “I’ve got COVID but it doesn’t matter.”
Wang Ming-yuen
Federation of Taiwan Pharmacists Associations
Today we heard some of our colleagues saying that COVID patients have been coming in person to pharmacies to collect medicine. We are pharmacists, so of course we know that it’s happening. When pharmacists catch COVID, it has an impact on the running of the business, and the services we offer. So we will wear masks and protect ourselves, of course, and we’ll disinfect, but I think more importantly we do rely on the public to do their best to act as responsible citizens.
Pharmacists rely on the public to act with integrity. This pharmacy has erected transparent dividers all around its cashier desk, all the way from the ceiling to knee-height. There’s just a thin crack where customers can reach the pharmacist.
Hsu Wen-an
Pharmacist
We have a sign outside asking customers to follow a “one in, one out” system. One customer leaves and then the next one can come in. As for us, we spray disinfectant more often and we always wear masks properly.
Government COVID rules have relaxed significantly. But that means individual citizens need to take more care in their daily lives, to act with integrity, and help protect the people around them day to day.