It is one of the few doors that can still be opened. Downstairs, at the heart of the villages, he is waiting for us, in a white coat, behind his counter. Questions about the coronavirus, need advice, listening… We know where to find it. In this barely credible and particularly anxiety-provoking epidemic, where there were 52,128 cases of contamination and 3,523 deaths this Tuesday evening, or 499 more than on Monday, the pharmacist is posted at the forefront.
More than a landmark, this familiar figure is the link, a bridge between the population and the carers. “We feel that people need to be reassured, says Alain Hababou, president of the Aprium group which brings together 350 pharmacies in France. Since the start of the crisis, in his Paris pharmacy, he and his team have had to answer "thousands of questions": "People ask if the virus stays on the surfaces, if they can catch it by coming here. Sometimes they get a little cold and tell me, do you think I have it? "
On the front line, these professionals must also cash in on an increasing number of incivilities caused by the shortage of masks and hydroalcoholic gel. But what Alain Hababou remembers is above all the daily salvo of thanks. "Many say to us: It feels good to see a smile, to find you there. After this crisis, there will be a before and an after, he thinks.
"We feel useful"
“The pharmacist has always been at the crossroads of health, social ties, the open door but the vision that people have of them will change. I think its role will be strengthened, ennobled in a way. I hope we will be seen more as caregivers than traders. Especially with the coronavirus, their missions are expanding.
At the end of last week, the Minister of the Interior announced that women victims of domestic violence, on the rise since confinement, will be able to "raise the alarm directly in pharmacies". Thanks to this device, in Nancy, a victim in danger was able to be sheltered and his companion placed in police custody. Their presence is the key to solidarity.
Of the 22,000 French pharmacies, only a handful closed, mainly because they were in stations or deserted shopping centers. Despite the fear, the green crosses remain lit from morning to evening.
"We want to tell people, we're here," exclaims Anne-Sophie Malachane, elected to the council of the order of pharmacists of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. During this pandemic, we are also authorized to renew prescriptions for chronic patients, which prevents these fragile people from moving too much. We feel useful! "
Their role: to observe and prevent
In her pharmacy in Bron, near Lyon (Rhône), Anne-Sophie Malachane put up a poster "If you have more masks, bring them". Message received. "The college infirmary gave us some so that we could redistribute them to the caregivers," she smiles, happy with such mutual assistance. Some pharmacists also deliver their medications to the homes of frail patients.
Newsletter - The essentials of the news
Every morning, the news seen by Le ParisienI'm registering
Your email address is collected by Le Parisien to allow you to receive our news and commercial offers. Find out more
"We always take news on their doorstep to know if they are doing well," reacts Martial Fraysse, holder of the Academy of Pharmacy. Their role is also to observe and prevent. "If a patient needs to be seen, they alert us," said Dr Battistoni, president of the general practitioners' union (MG France). During this epidemic, they help us a lot. "
VIDEO. A pharmacy produces 10,000 liters of hydroalcoholic gel per day