Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn promised free FFP2 masks for all risk patients.
And so the pharmacists in the Weilheim-Schongau district were taken by surprise, as it quickly became clear yesterday.
Since Tuesday, the free FFP2 masks have also been distributed to high-risk patients in the Weilheim-Schongau district via pharmacies.
The pharmacists, however, have great problems getting enough masks at such short notice.
Not every pharmacy has enough in stock.
So far, there have been no attempts at fraud and the customers are very friendly and understanding, it is reported.
County
- It is an extremely uncomfortable December morning, this first day of the nationwide lockdown.
But Dieter and Brigitte Hasenbalg don't get the chance to shiver in their draughty hut.
There they distribute free FFP2 masks to risk patients in front of the entrance to the “Karwendel pharmacy” in Weilheim, which is now run by her daughter Nina Hasenbalg-Glas.
Not many pharmacies in Weilheim can offer this service on Wednesday.
“We were taken by surprise,” reports Nina Hasenbalg-Glas.
On Thursday she found out from the newspaper that the masks should be given away free of charge by the pharmacies.
“Then we were allowed to see where we could get them,” she recalls.
Rabbit Hide Glass was lucky and their wholesaler was able to deliver quickly.
Many of her colleagues still have to wait.
Because the availability at the supplier is one thing, the capacities of the parcel services, which are currently groaning under the immense burden of gift orders, the other.
Family members need to help manage the onslaught
The Karwendel pharmacy has already received between 3500 and 4000 FFP2 masks, almost half of which had already been distributed yesterday morning.
"The rush is huge," said the pharmacist.
Three FFP2 masks are issued per risk patient, so there were well over 500 customers on the first day alone.
Just for comparison: previously “between 50 and 100 masks per week” were sold.
Above all, you take care of regular customers you know.
The idea with the hut in front of the entrance arose among colleagues in order to keep the rush to the pharmacy low and to minimize the risk of infection for customers.
"Without the help of family members, this additional task would not have been possible," says Hasenbalg-Glas.
When her parents leave work around noon, the son of one of the employees jumps in at the hut.
1500 masks distributed in one day in a Penzberg pharmacy
“It went wonderfully”: This is how Joachim Lippl from the city pharmacy in Penzberg sums up the first day on which he gave the FFP2 masks to eligible customers.
Lippl estimates that around 500 people picked up masks in his pharmacy on Tuesday alone - most of them over 60 years old.
All customers were friendly.
Nobody tried to sneak unjustified masks.
According to Lippl, people who have reached the age of 60 and certain risk groups are eligible;
for example, patients with chronic heart failure and cancer patients, but also women with high-risk pregnancies.
Lippl finds it problematic that the obligation to check authorization lies with the pharmacies.
He would have liked it better if the health insurance companies had sent the masks to the people.
Because they know exactly who is authorized and who is not.
“We want the submission to be as straightforward as possible,” says Lippl.
He therefore appeals to those entitled to bring either their identity card or a certificate from the doctor.
As part of an initial order, Lippl has ordered around 5000 FFP2 masks.
How many he will actually need, he cannot estimate at all.
He is therefore in contact with suppliers for possible reorders.
Lech pharmacy: "The demand is greater than the supply"
“The demand is much greater than the supply,” says an employee of the Lech pharmacy in Schongau.
On Tuesday, FFP2 masks were no longer available two hours after opening.
A reader of the local newspaper also had to experience this.
At 10 o'clock, the Hohenfurcher describes, he stood in front of the pharmacy to pick up a mask.
A sign on the front door indicated that the masks are unfortunately sold out.
The problem, as they explain in the Lech pharmacy, is that of course all pharmacies have ordered FFP2 masks at once.
"Everything has been ordered, but unfortunately we cannot say when the next delivery will arrive," said the employee.
Apparently it is the same with other pharmacies.
Customers of the Lechapotheke would often tell in which pharmacies they had previously asked for masks - and also had to be put off.
However, some would call first before they set off.
The employee thinks it is a good decision.
By January at the latest, she hopes, it will be easier and better to distribute the masks, because there is a run-up.
Pharmacist spokesman: "None of us will get rich with it"
It is precisely this lack of lead time that is the core problem, says Phillip Kircher from the Ortisei pharmacy in Peißenberg, spokesman for the pharmacists in the Weilheim-Schongau district.
Anyone who thought that Health Minister Spahn, who announced the distribution campaign, had also ensured that the pharmacies were supplied on time, is wrong.
Everyone had to take care of themselves.
Kircher had ordered smaller quantities from several manufacturers and was therefore able to start distribution on Tuesday.
He and his colleagues are annoyed by biting comments that speak of a “Christmas present for the pharmacists”: “Nobody is guaranteed to get rich with it.” Instead, the pharmacists first have to finance the distribution campaign in advance, reports their spokesman.
If everything goes well, they should get the money back at the end of January.
“But we all don't want to complain, we have to go through that now.
We work in a health profession, we have to go through it now, ”Kircher said yesterday in an interview with the local newspaper.
He did not find any attempted abuse.
In any case, it is mainly regular customers who come to stock up on the masks.
Many would use the car counter in his pharmacy.
By the way, nobody should be afraid of not getting any more masks if they wait a few days until the first mass rush is over, according to the pharmacist spokesman: "There will be more deliveries and the issue will run until January 6th."