The burden of COVID-19 on pharmacists

Abstract

The unprecedented changes brought about by the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have had important impacts on society. The pandemic has provided an opportunity to highlight the crucial role pharmacists play in the provision of health care. The critical and unique role of pharmacists in pandemics and other disasters has been highlighted in the past (severe acute respiratory syndrome and Ebola outbreaks) and more recently with reports of the contributions of pharmacists during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Many reports have documented that health care professionals are experiencing significant psychological morbidity as a result of providing essential care and services during the global COVID-19 pandemic. In these reports, pharmacists are not well represented, and, therefore, it is essential to understand the impact of COVID-19 on pharmacists across multiple practice settings. This is particularly true as the experiences of pharmacists working through previous pandemics and disasters, and the associated psychological burden, are likely to offer insights and be useful in supporting the psychological well-being of pharmacists during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Research into the effect of the global COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacists should improve the understanding of the impact and the psychological morbidity associated with their role as frontline health care professionals.