- Title: With fears of hand gel shortage, Paris pharmacy takes matters into its own hands
- Date: 13th March 2020
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 13, 2020) (REUTERS) HAND DISINFECTANT LIQUID BEING POURED INTO CONTAINER VARIOUS OF LAB PHARMACIST FILLING UP JUG WITH DISINFECTANT SOLUTION VARIOUS OF PHARMACISTS AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS LINED UP DURING DISTRIBUTION OF SOLUTION VARIOUS OF LAB PHARMACISTS FILLING UP CONTAINERS WITH SOLUTION PHARMACIST AT DELPECH PHARMACY, FABIEN BRUNO, SPEAKING TO PEOPLE IN QUEUE (SOUNDBITE) (French) PHARMACIST AT DELPECH PHARMACY, FABIEN BRUNO, SAYING: "We're doing our best, we have to ration it out to our customers, give them the minimum so other pharmacies can have it, then gradually increase our capacity. We also hope other actors come and help us shoulder the responsibility, first of all other pharmacists, meaning pharmacists should start making at home (the disinfectant liquid), since the preparation process is pretty simple - four miscible liquids that we just have to mix." BRUNO POURING CONTAINER OF LIQUID INTO SOLUTION PREPARATION VARIOUS OF JUGS OF SOLUTION LAB PHARMACISTS TILTING GIANT CONTAINER TO POUR OUT REMAINING SOLUTION INTO JUG SOLUTION BEING POURED INTO CONTAINER (SOUNDBITE) (French) PHARMACIST AT DELPECH PHARMACY, FABIEN BRUNO, SAYING: "There's a risk of shortage in the sense that access to raw materials at the moment is complicated since there has been a spike in activity for everyone at the same time. But with time, the risk of a shortage will fade away, since the risk of shortage especially involves bottling. That's why when we see people, we encourage them to recycle their bottles, not really for ecological reasons although that could be part of it, but mostly to have bottles. We could well have raw materials, but if we don't have bottles in which to put them, then we're still in trouble." JUGS OF DISINFECTANT LIQUID LAB PHARMACIST STICKING LABELS ON CONTAINERS DISTRIBUTION TAKING PLACE SIGN AT ENTRANCE FOR DISTRIBUTION PHARMACISTS AND HEALTH PROFESSIONALS LINED UP OUTSIDE WITH JUGS (SOUNDBITE) (French) PHARMACIST FROM LALANNE PHARMACY IN LISSES, SAYING: "This is the second consecutive morning that we've come. We coordinate with other pharmacies and we take the trip to fill up.' PEOPLE AT ENTRANCE OF PHARMACY WHERE DISTRIBUTION IS TAKING PLACE (SOUNDBITE) (French) PHARMACIST FROM LALANNE PHARMACY IN LISSES, SAYING: "Yes of course, we have additional constraints, but you know, there's a health risk and pharmacists are here to do their job and think about their patients." PEOPLE LINED UP OUTSIDE PHARMACY WHERE DISTRIBUTION IS TAKING PLACE
- Embargoed: 27th March 2020 10:46
- Keywords: France Paris coronavirus outbreak disinfectant gel gel distribution hand sanitizers pharmacists
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C4VZ1AF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A Paris pharmacy distributed on Friday (March 13) jugs of disinfectant liquid to other pharmacists and health professionals in need of the solution, amid a feared shortage in hand sanitisers across the world due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Dozens of pharmacists from around the Paris region lined up at the Delpech pharmacy to stock up on hydroalcoholic solutions made by lab pharmacists from a recipe issued by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Fabien Bruno, a pharmacist at Delpech pharmacy, said the lab makes around 2,400 litres of the solution daily for distribution.
"We're doing our best, we have to ration it out to our customers, give them the minimum so other pharmacies can have it, then gradually increase our capacity," Bruno said.
The WHO's formula has four ingredients - ethanol, hydrogen peroxide, glycerol and sterilized water.
Bruno called on other pharmacists to pitch in and make the solution, to help supply stores where some shelves have been emptied of sanitising gel.
The French government decided last week to regulate the price of antibacterial gels after prices were reported to have increased heavily since the coronavirus outbreak has begun.
(Production: Thierry Chiarello, Ardee Napolitano) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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