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. 2020 Jun 10;35(1):206.
doi: 10.4102/sajid.v35i1.206. eCollection 2020.

COVID-19: Guidelines for pharmacists in South Africa

Natalie Schellack  1 , Monique Coetzee  2 , Gustav Schellack  3 , Michelle Gijzelaar  4 , Zeenat Hassim  5 , Marnus Milne  1 , Elmien Bronkhorst  1 , Neelaveni Padayachee  6 , Nirasha Singh  7 , Sonya Kolman  8   9 , Andrew L Gray  10
Affiliations

COVID-19: Guidelines for pharmacists in South Africa

Natalie Schellack et al. S Afr J Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, and its declaration as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), the reliance on pharmacists as one of the first points of contact within the healthcare system has been highlighted. This evidence-based review is aimed at providing guidance for pharmacists in community, hospital and other settings in South Africa, on the management of patients with suspected or confirmed coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19. The situation is rapidly evolving, and new evidence continues to emerge on a daily basis. This guidance document takes into account and includes newly available evidence and recommendations, particularly around the following aspects relating to COVID-19: EpidemiologyThe virus, its modes of transmission and incubation periodSymptom identification, including the differentiation between influenza, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis and COVID-19Social media myths and misinformationTreatment guidelines and medicines that may need to be kept in stockTreatment and prevention options, including an update on vaccine developmentThe case for and against the use of NSAIDs, ACE-inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in patients with COVID-19Interventions and patient counselling by the pharmacist. It is critical, though, that pharmacists access the most recent and authoritative information to guide their practice. Key websites that can be relied upon are: World Health Organization (WHO): https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD): https://www.nicd.ac.za/diseases-a-z-index/covid-19/National Department of Health (NDoH): http://www.health.gov.za/index.php/outbreaks/145-corona-virus-outbreak/465-corona-virus-outbreak; https://sacoronavirus.co.za/.

Keywords: COVID-19; MERS-CoV; SARS-CoV; SARS-CoV-2; chloroquine; corona virus disease; hydroxychloroquine; novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV); pandemic; spill-over.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The most important preventative measures in the fight against COVID-19.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Advice to be given to patients and members of the public.,,
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
A basic summary of the role of the pharmacist in the management of COVID-19.,,
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
The criteria for mild COVID-19 according to the latest NDoH/NICD guidelines.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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