SAMBALPUR: Medicine stores in Sambalpur city saw a huge rush on Monday with people resorting to panic buying medicines like antibiotics, paracetamols and multivitamins in bulk fearing a supply shortage during the lockdown.
Long queues outside chemist shops were a common sight. Owner of a medicine store in Budharaja, Rupesh Panda said even though medicine stores will operate as usual during the lockdown, people are buying out of panic. This is leading to shortage of common medicines. “People with mild or no symptoms are buying medicines in large quantities and hoarding them. As a result, we are not able to provide them to those in dire need. Some are buying the medicines without even consulting a doctor,” he said.
Another medicine store owner, Mohit Pradhan said, people are buying medicines like Azithromycin, Paracetamol, Doxycyline, Vitamin C and Zinc. “While vitamins and zinc are as such required for immunity boosting, the other medicines are mostly required for patients with symptoms. But people are buying them anticipating short supply” he said.
However, we are being cautious about maintaining immediate stock in the shop and also requesting people to not hoard the essential medicines. Besides, cough syrup is also in high demand, he added. On the other hand, the pharmacy stores are running out of oxymeters, thermometers and vaporisers.
A wholesaler of medical equipment in Khetrajpur said, since doctors are advising to keep a track of temperature and oxygen levels and inhale steam, people - with or without symptoms - are buying them. “Though there is no panic buying of these devices, the demand has grown massively. I have not been able to restock the supplies for almost a week now”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Sambalpur district on Monday recorded its highest single day spike with 520 new cases taking the tally to 16,080. While 12,736 persons have already recovered, there are 3,263 active cases in the district now. The district has also reported 81 deaths due to Covid-19.
Markets crowded
Jajpur: Streets in Jajpur saw heavy traffic snarls with people crowding markets to buy essentials ahead of the lockdown. Such was the crowd that even an ambulance remained stranded at the Barbati market for several hours till the traffic jam was cleared. Almost all the markets in the town were teeming with people. Businessmen attributed the rush to not just the lockdown but also to the ensuing Eid festival and wedding season. Police stepped in to control the crowd and the civic body’s enforcement team slapped fines on shops that violated the Covid protocols.