AS the UK responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, community pharmacies in West Yorkshire are working tirelessly to ensure that everyone’s medicines and healthcare needs will be met.

To help pharmacies to cope Community Pharmacy West Yorkshire is asking patients and the public to:

• Avoid pharmacies if you are showing symptoms of COVID-19: If you have a dry, persistent cough, fever or shortness of breath.

• Be patient: All pharmacies are under immense pressure and working around the clock to ensure that you get what you need.

• Order medicines as normal: There is no need to stockpile medicines.

Pharmacies will remain open wherever possible, but you may see that some are now having to reduce the hours during which they can admit members of the public. This is to ensure that pharmacy teams can carry out tasks such as preparing medicines and restocking shelves.

Most pharmacies can be contacted by phone and email, and many have their own websites and social media channels.

Chair of Community Pharmacy West Yorkshire Mohammed Ikhlaq said:“Community pharmacy teams are a really important part of the NHS, and like all other NHS workers they are under immense pressure at the moment. We are today asking patients and members to the public to take some very simple steps to help protect these teams so that pharmacies can continue to carry out their critical roles and ensure that everyone continues to get the medicines, help and support they need, when they need it.”