Know Your Medicines
COVID-19 Advice for the General Public

COVID-19 Advice for the General Public

Several clip-on devices have been marketed to have protective effects against viruses and bacteria. They claim to release chlorine dioxide and reach concentrations around 0.017 ppm (parts per million)  to create a protective barrier for the user, although the exact mechanism of this release is not specified.
Take home message Supplements work best if a person has a specific deficiency or need. If you are unsure whether you require a supplement, always speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
For a comprehensive guide on how to order your medications from home through the various institutions, you may click the link below. Guide on how to order your medications from home Mandarin Version Acknowledgements: PSS Public Education Chapter; Victoria Chor Jia Min
An exclusive supplementary bulletin on what goes behind the scene in the pharmacies that are at the forefront in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Kudos to our pharmacists and pharmacy technicians working tirelessly to ensure that everything is still business as usual for our patients and fellow healthcare workers.
Find out more on how to maintain good personal hygiene and keeping our environment clean!
There is currently no specific study published that addresses this specific question.  However, there is a wealth of data from various studies on washing with soap (with or without antibacterial agents) on other microbes to suggest that the act of washing with soap and water is an effective measure to reduce contamination and aid infection prevention strategies to stay well. Of notable mention, one study evaluated the efficacy of soap and water versus alcohol-based hand-rub preparations against live H1N1 influenza virus on the hands of human volunteers. It found that both methods were highly effective in reducing influenza A virus on human hands. In the study, the soap used was with a non-medicated liquid soap (pH-balanced, with emollient and moisturiser, but not containing sodium lauryl sulfate, instead contains other surfactants), which was found to be effective in reducing viral load from the hands after washing for 40 seconds. Using soap to wash hands is more effective than using water alone, and is postulated because the surfactants in soap lift soil and microbes from skin, and people tend to scrub hands more thoroughly when using soap, which further removes germs. Thus from the above information, it would be expected that use of such cleansers should still work, esp. for selective individuals with eczema or sensitive dry hands, where frequent hand-washing may increase existing irritation and compromise the skin barrier. The WHO 20-second hand washing technique should be used regardless of the type of soap for effective cleaning.
The Take-Home Points: Antimalarials like chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are currently being studied for their effectiveness and safety when used to treat COVID-19. While Chloroquine may be purchased from a licenced pharmacist in Singapore for the prevention of malaria, we do not recommend self-medication for treatment of COVID-19 without proper medical assessment and evaluation. If you suspect that you could have COVID-19 infection or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, seek medical attention immediately. 关键点: 抗疟疾药(如氯喹和羟基氯喹chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine)目前正用於治疗COVID-19时有效性和安全性的研究。虽然可以从本国药剤师那里购买氯喹来预防疟疾,但我们並不建议您在没有适当医生检验的情况下自行用药治疗COVID-19。如果您怀疑自己可能感染了COVID-19或出现了相关症状,请立即就医。
The Take-Home Points: Until more information is available, paracetamol would still be the preferred fever or pain medication, unless your doctor has told you paracetamol is not suitable for you (e.g. a bad reaction to paracetamol). If you are already taking ibuprofen or another non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) on the advice of a healthcare professional, do not stop without first checking with your healthcare professional. If you are intending to self-medicate for fever or pain and have questions, do speak to your pharmacist or doctor for advice and evaluation. Should you experience severe cough, breathing difficulties, fever, or other COVID-19-like symptoms, do seek immediate medication attention rather than self-medication at this time.  关键点: 除非你的医生告诉你扑热息痛(Paracetamol)不适合你(例如你对扑热息痛产生不良反应),否则在获得更多信息之前,扑热息痛仍然是首选的发烧或止痛药。如果你现在因为某种医疗原因在服用布洛芬或其他非类固醇抗炎药(NSAID),在没有得到医疗专业人士的建议之前, 请不要停止使用这些药物。如果你打算自行治疗发烧或疼痛病状,请先向你的药剂师或医生咨询意见和评估。如果你出现严重的咳嗽、呼吸困难、发烧或其他类似新冠肺炎的症状,应立即寻求专业治疗,而不是自行用药。
The Take-Home Points: Patients on ACE-Is and ARBs should not discontinue them on their own, particularly if they have compelling reasons to be on this class of medicines.  If you have specific questions about your health status, please discuss this with your doctor or pharmacist in-charge. 关键点: 服用ACE-Is和ARBs的患者不应自行停止用药,特别是如果他们有令人信服的理由服用这类药物。 如果您有关于您的健康状况的具体问题,请与您的医生或药剂师讨论。
To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. However, those infected with the virus should receive appropriate care to relieve and treat symptoms, and those with severe illness should receive optimized supportive care. Some specific treatments are under investigation and would be started under medical supervision and care. 到目前为止,还没有特别推荐的药物来预防或治疗这种新型冠状病毒,也被称为COVID-19。 然而,那些感染病毒的人应该接受适当的治疗以缓解和治疗症状,而那些患有严重疾病的人应该得到最佳的支持性治疗。一些具体的治疗正在研究中,并将在医疗监督和护理下展開。

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