ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic, a serious global health threat, has excruciating social and economic implications given its transmissibility, lack of therapy, and severity. In such a situation, pharmacists as frontline healthcare professionals hold a significant position to tackle. This study was designed to explore the perception and preparedness of pharmacists working in public sector hospitals amid such a pandemic in Pakistan. METHODS: A total of 11 pharmacists were interviewed for this qualitative study design through a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. RESULTS: The thematic content analysis yielded six major themes; understanding of COVID-19, perceptions towards COVID-19, preventive aspects, management aspects, changes to lifestyle, and psychological aspects. Though efficient preparedness and approach to fighting against such pandemics were reported, pharmacists were found susceptible to infection and psychological stress. They also expressed lockdown as an effective measure to prevent the disease from spreading but still were concerned about its economic and social impact. CONCLUSIONS: Adequate planning and facilities from the national level should be made available for strengthening the hospital pharmacy service that helps improve the overall healthcare system of low- and middle-income countries like Pakistan. The provision of a protective facility, incentives, and occupational health surveillance packages are deemed necessary to boost the self-esteem and morale of hospital pharmacists that safeguard the early and effective management of such disasters.
ABSTRACT
B Conclusions: b In children hospitalized for COVID-19 related illness, primary TP with subcutaneous enoxaparin twice-daily at a starting dose of 0.5 mg/kg is safe and achieves target anti-Xa levels during hospitalization in >90% of patients. Future phase 3 trials of primary TP are warranted in hospitalized children with proinflammatory conditions such as COVID-19, for which HA-VTE risk is increased. B Introduction: b Evidence is limited on the safety or efficacy of anticoagulant thromboprophylaxis (TP) against hospital-associated venous thromboembolism (HA-VTE) in children hospitalized with COVID-19 and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). [Extracted from the article] Copyright of Critical Care Medicine is the property of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)