This video discusses our latest Covid-19 update in the South West and our newest procedural changes in the Pharmacies, Dunsborough Pharmacy and Nourish Health, as of today 22nd March, 2020.
It contains important information that could affect you so please watch the Covid-19 update all the way through and share it with your friends and family.
Below is a summary of what we discuss:
- We now have confirmation that Covid-19 is in the South West. This means we have had to make further changes to the way we operate in-store. We don’t want the public to be alarmed but instead be vigilant.
- As of today, Dunsborough Pharmacy will be allowing TEN people in-store at a time and Nourish Health will be allowing only FIVE people. This is to ensure everyone is practicing their social distancing of 2 metres between each person.
- There will be a staff member at the front of the store directing you so please be considerate and listen to their direction.
- We will be moving as quickly and efficiently as possible in-store, so we ask that you please be patient.
- If you are with a group of people, please only enter the store if you specifically require something for yourself. If you can send ONE person in to represent all of you that would be great.
- Our daily delivery services are now in effect and will take place from Monday to Friday at 4 pm. We ask that you get prepared NOW by leaving your scripts on file. This will allow you to order your prescriptions via an app or by calling us directly.
- In the video, we also discuss how we are managing the number of prescriptions people are filling to ensure no one is stockpiling. New guidelines have been enforced by the government.
Watch our latest video Covid-19 update for Dunsborough Community
click here
[Transcription]
They say that a week is a long time in politics, well it is only a week ago that we did our first video and here we are again with even more to keep up to date on.
The first thing I want to talk about is stock piling. Forget toilet paper and hand sanitiser, asthma medications such as Ventolin are the new currency in this hoarding panicked environment.
The sad thing is, that if people stopped taking more than their immediate needs, then the supply chain that is in place would cope with demand. Many are only concerned about their own wellbeing and needs and the selfishness that we have witnessed over the last few weeks has really had an affect on all the team. We’ve been blatantly lied to as people try to concoct stories and demand medications, telling us why their needs outweigh the rest of the community. There are stockpilers coming in from out of town and many are trying to game the system. Some are genuine, some are not. We can tell, we have just been too polite to call you out on it. UP TILL NOW.
Please DON’T. Just stop.
In fact, the hoarding became so bad this week that the Federal government had to step in. Like naughty children being censored by a parent. It’s embarrassing that it came to this. The Federal government Covid-19 update passed regulations that only one month’s worth of medication could be supplied at a time as well as only ONE item of critical medicines could be purchased.
We have a list.
We will advise you that you are only allowed one purchase if you try to buy more than one.
Don’t fight us on this.
Do the right thing.
After you receive a month’s supply, please don’t come back in 3 days or a week and present your script again. It won’t be dispensed until at least 20 days after your last supply.
Our suppliers are also drip feeding stock in to us, to ensure it is spread equitably across the whole of Australia, so to counter this we have waiting lists. Please only put your name down on the list if you need a medication urgently or within TWO weeks. We are currently taking orders for Ventolin, hand sanitiser and Fluvax. I ask you all for your patience and consideration. We don’t want to see you miss out on any medication and we are doing our best to make sure this DOES NOT happen.
The SECOND thing I’d like to talk to you about is changes you will see at the pharmacy. Over the last week, with the Bunbury Hospital Fever Clinic finally being operational, we have finally got cases confirmed in the Busselton Dunsborough area.
Coronavirus is here and it is being spread in the community. It’s time for us all to take things seriously. It’s in our backyard.
Which brings me to the point. Being part of the community we have had anecdotal evidence that many are not taking requests to self isolate seriously. We hear reports of people still going to work, and still out and about.
They rationalise this as they are young and it doesn’t matter they will survive or
that they felt well so why not go to work or even
yay I missed the cut off by one hour one day, so I don’t have to self isolate.
Do you think the virus cares, about the time. If you have come back from overseas you have come from a high-risk area to the south west which was a low risk area. Don’t be responsible for someone getting sick and dying because you missed the cut off. If you know of anyone flouting the isolation rules OR stretching them. Please contact them and tell them DO THE RIGHT THING.
People’s lives will be saved.
[Covid-19 updates] The virus is here. Now what do we do about it?
At both Dunsborough Pharmacy and Nourish Health we are acting now.
We have split the pharmacies into TWO teams and re rostered our staff so that no team members crossover. The reason we have done this is that should someone from a team be diagnosed we have a back up team who will be able to step in and pick up the extra rosters if required.
We may have to change opening hours if this is the case but we will keep you informed.
What it does mean is that we WILL stay open.
The team under enormous pressure over the last few weeks and they’ve maintained their composure under trying circumstances. I’m really proud of them being so flexible and putting our communities needs ahead of the inconvenience to them and their families.
In times like these, I am so grateful for the wonderful team we have built up here. They are unrecognised champions.
The next time you visit the pharmacy, you will also notice, we are now controlling the entry and exit to the pharmacy.
You will be asked to verify that you are asymptomatic before you renter the store and if allowed entry will be given a dollop of hand sanitiser to use BEFORE you enter the store.
We have again revised our points of contact and now will not be requiring you to sign for any prescriptions and would prefer you pay be card.
We are also limiting the number of patients or customers in the store at one time. Please bear with us if a group of people head in at the same time. We will ask if everyone needs to enter the store.
We are allowing a maximum of 10 other than staff in at any time. If you are asked to wait, please be considerate to the staff member asking. Its their job, but their health as well.
Please do your bit by respecting the social distancing rules and spread out in the pharmacy, maintain your distances and don’t lean on the counters or look over the dispensary benches. You will be too close.
So, to summarise this Covid-19 update;
The time for selfishness is over, the time of entitlement is over. We all need to learn to SHARE. Get what you only TRULY need and leave vital medications for others.
Our three priorities to get us all through this are;
- Protecting the health of the team, who as frontline health care workers are in a high risk situation. The measures we are putting in place are designed to minimise this risk.
- Protecting the health of the vulnerable in our community who often make up a large number of the people visiting the pharmacy.
- Being able to continue to look after and care for the wider community of Dunsborough and the best way we can do this is by remaining open and ensuring your medication is available if and when you need it.
Thanks to everyone for listening this Covid-19 update all the way through.
Take care. Stay safe
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