In the wake of rising coronavirus cases, the chemists' association has decided to not dispense medicines for cold, cough and fever to anyone without a prescription. As such, several states had approached the medical shops to keep a record of phone numbers and addresses of customers who buy such medicines for surveillance.

"There has been no government notification in this regard. However, we feel that it is safe to not dispense medicines for cold, cough and fever over the counter now. We have asked the chemists affiliated with us to recommend the patient to visit a nearby hospital and get checked if she or he is showing such symptoms as it is only safe for him," said Rajiv Singhal, general secretary of AIOCD, the umbrella association that represents around 850,0000 chemists across the country.

Does this mean that one cannot buy paracetamol for body pain etc? Singhal says that chemists would tend to refuse a patient who is showing symptoms of cough and cold or is asking for a specific combination that is for cough, cold and fever.

"If someone is buying paracetamol as a pain-killer, we would sell it. Chemists cannot do any surveillance on whether he is buying it for a fever patient. So that is kept out of the question. But, we are trying to be as safe as it can be," Singhal explained.

Ankur Agarwal — founder and director of pharmacy chain Medkart that runs stores across Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan said that they are generally asking patients with requirement of cold, cough and fever medicines or similar symptoms to visit the public hospitals.

Some chemists, however, say that at the moment it is not possible to get valid prescriptions as most out-patient departments (OPD) are closed. "We are being a bit lenient especially with chronic patients who have prescriptions that are more than six months old now," said a Mumbai based chemist.

Meanwhile, states like Telangana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and parts of Bihar have issued advisories to record patient details (phone number and addresses) for those who seek to buy cold and cough medicines.

Some people are seeking to self-medicate as they are afraid to turn up at a public hospital. These states have tried to improve their surveillance on such patients who may be suffering from coronavirus like symptoms. Medicine shops have been asked to submit these information with the relevant authorities in these states.

A senior government official said that so far there was no plan to ask chemists to stop dispensing cold and cough medicines. "Advisory was issued asking them to not dispense hydroxychloroquine or any anti-malarial without a valid prescription with a hospital stamp. On cold and cough, no such advisory has been so far issued, but if chemists are taking precautions, it is only a welcome step," he said.v