Colds?
Hardly exist.
A consequence of the measures against Corona, say doctors and pharmacists.
Some medicines are therefore not needed by anyone, the stores are full.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
- Verena Bockhorni swallows hard once.
“For God's sake,” she says.
Of course, the pharmacist knew that some medicines no one needs at the moment, the boxes are stacked up in the warehouse.
But to look at the numbers again, “that's bitter,” says the owner of the Ludwigs- and Alte Apotheke in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, who is also spokeswoman for the pharmacists in the district.
Corona in Bavaria: Medicines are becoming slow-moving in pharmacies - 66 percent minus
She looks for a few examples and compares sales in January and February with those in the two months of the previous year.
“Wick Medinait”, a frequently used remedy for colds and flu-like infections: minus 66 percent.
“Imodium acute” against diarrhea: minus 50 percent.
Children's cold preparations: minus 33 percent, "Sinupret", a classic for inflammation of the paranasal sinuses: only a tenth of last year's packs sold.
"It's stuck on the shelf - it's cruel."
The current political measures are having an effect - against corona, but also against other diseases.
This poses a challenge for pharmacies.
Bockhorni does not want to be misunderstood: Basically, it is a good thing if people do not get sick so often - only this year none of her colleagues could adapt, the orders were out, the medication came.
Now nobody needs them.
Corona poses a challenge for pharmacies: Nobody needs many drugs now
Children who normally bring all sorts of infections or viruses home with them from kindergarten or school do not meet their friends and have nowhere to be infected.
In general, people wash their hands more often and more thoroughly, which is why diarrheal diseases are on the decline - this is what Bockhorni suspects.
In addition, the masks: They limit the spread of aerosols, thus also the spread of cold viruses.
The doctors notice this massively.
Every day around ten patients sit in the cold wedding, as they normally do now, with symptoms in the waiting room of Dr.
Kristina Ott in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
There are currently a maximum of three who come to the infection clinic.
One explanation for this could be in the fall of last year.
Consequences of Corona: Significantly fewer cold patients in the doctor's office - mask as a future model?
Ott remembers a “vaccination boom against flu”.
For four weeks, a doctor on her team only looked after the vaccination against influenza.
“Maybe we will see an effect there.” This is speculation with her too.
She doesn't know exactly.
Undoubtedly, however, the usual everyday measures such as distance and mask now play a decisive role in Corona.
This is confirmed by Ott, the district coordinator for general practitioners in the corona pandemic.
"They also help against other viruses."
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Masks reduce sick days, believes Dr.
Kristina Ott, coordination in the district.
© private
An effect from which one could benefit in the post-corona period.
Ott believes that sick days can be significantly reduced “if we keep the mask”.
At least during the cold season.
And not as a rule, but as a recommendation.
Positive development towards the first lockdown: people seek help from a doctor
The doctor sees a positive development compared to the first lockdown: people are going back to the doctor.
In spring 2020, many did not dare to, were afraid of being infected in practice.
This is how they spread diseases.
Ott and her colleagues saw processes that had previously only been seen in exceptional cases.
Suddenly there was an increasing number of severe inflammation of the kidney pelvis, which would normally have remained with a bladder infection - if the patients had only been treated immediately.
Untreated bronchitis turned into pneumonia.
Appendicitis led to the breakthrough, and thus to emergency surgery.
"Thank God that is over." The infection clinic has established itself, and fever, a corona symptom that can have many other causes, is no longer an obstacle to visiting the family doctor.
People are examined in a well-protected manner.
Including a smear, of course, to quickly identify a Covid 19 disease if necessary.
Pharmacies in Corona times: You notice missing tourists - morning-after pill stays on the shelf
Another corona consequence affects pharmacist Bockhorni: the lack of tourists.
Especially in the old pharmacy on Marienplatz, where many guests get medicines.
Thrombosis syringes, which otherwise sell “like crazy” in a winter, are left lying around.
Because skiing accidents including broken bones, for example, have sunk to zero, long journeys home or idle times in hotels where the syringes are needed are therefore eliminated.
Another preparation remains on the shelf in the old pharmacy: the morning-after pill.
Bockhorni laughs.
The tablet that is supposed to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse.
And which is especially popular with some guests for a party adventure around Christmas, New Year's Eve and Mardi Gras.
Only party is forbidden anyway.
And there is no one there to celebrate.
"So who should buy this now?"
In Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a tourist with a Munich license plate parked his car right on the mountain.
A local resident's “memorandum” has now sparked a well-known debate.
By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our new, regular GAP newsletter.
(By Katharina Bromberger)
