The Role of Pharmacists in the Fight Against COVID-19

COVID-19 is a respiratory infection caused by SARSCoV-2, a newly identified coronavirus. The disease has quickly spread throughout the world and was declared a pandemic. Older people and those with comorbid conditions carry the highest burden of morbidity and mortality associated with COVID-19. As the most accessible health care professionals, community and ambulatory care pharmacists are well positioned to respond to this public health crisis by testing eligible patients—recently allowed by federal regulation– counseling them on treatment options for symptomatic relief, reinforcing prevention measures, and managing drug shortages. Hospital pharmacists also play an important role by assisting prescribers in selecting the best treatment regimens for patients, evaluating and securing investigational agents, developing criteria for drug use, mitigating drug shortages, and preserving personal protective equipment. In addition, long-term care pharmacists are instrumental in optimizing medication management and developing policies to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission among vulnerable residents.