Darrell Hofheinz @PBDN_hofheinz Apr 11, 2020 at 3:29 PM On Palm Beach during the coronavirus crisis, pharmacies have been busy answering customers’ questions, trying to replenish supplies and stepping up home deliveries. Allen Rutman, general manager of venerable Green’s Pharmacy in Palm Beach, has one word to describe the action he’s seen at the store over the past month. “Crazy,” said Rutman, who was busy this week overseeing operations at the drug store, which is celebrating its 82nd birthday this year. That island milestone comes as the coronavirus pandemic upends households, businesses and governments across the globe. And its impact has certainly been felt at Green’s, 151 N. County Road. “The number of home deliveries in the past two weeks has doubled. People don’t want to expose themselves by going outside,” said Rutman, whose store offers deliveries of prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and merchandise. It’s a similar scenario at other independent pharmacies on the island, where home deliveries are keeping masked-and-gloved drivers busy. Many customers, meanwhile, have doubled-down to arm themselves with supplies and information related to the health crisis. “Some people are a little paranoid right now,” acknowledged Pharmacist Sam Parmar of Fedco Health Mart Pharmacy at 255 Sunrise Ave. But Parmar said she understands their concerns in these unprecedented times. Pharmacists, she said, have long been viewed as trusted sources of health information, so it’s logical that people would ask her and her peers questions about the coronavirus. “People want to make sure that they get the information they need, and sometimes it’s hard right now to get through to a doctor,” Parmar said. “And things change daily with this (crisis).” If Parmar can answer a question, she’s eager to do it, although she said those with symptoms of COVID-19 — the disease caused by the coronavirus — […]
