THE ROLE OF THE PHARMACIST IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

In December 2019, in China, cases of a new acute respiratory syndrome were identified, caused by a new coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which was named COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019). Due to the rapid worsening of the disease, the situation was deemed critical, and frontline healthcare professionals were directly involved in the care, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 patients. In these circumstances, the pharmacist plays an important role, as he/she must act in controlling the transmission of the disease and in attending to the needs of the community, disseminating information, in addition to assuming responsibility for implementing strategies to promote the rational use of medicines, due to the harmful consequences of its inappropriate use.