WASHINGTON — The Biden administration said Wednesday it will release prescription flu drugs to states from the Strategic National Stockpile as a flu patient It continues to swarm hospitals and clinics across the country.
This year’s flu season has already hit hard. With the surge in cases, some people even find the shelves bare when trying to find over-the-counter medications at pharmacies and grocery stores. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the flu has hospitalized 150,000 people and killed 9,300 so far this season.
“As flu cases increase this winter, jurisdictions will be able to get the support they need to keep Americans healthy,” said the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC. Undersecretary Dawn O’Connell said. statement.
States will be able to request doses of the prescription flu drug Tamiflu, which is stored in HHS’ Strategic National Stockpile. The administration has not announced the doses that will be available. Antiviral drugs were released from stockpiles more than a decade ago during his H1N1 pandemic, also known as swine flu.
Last week, a federal agency also announced it would allow states to soak statewide stockpiles of Tamiflu, making millions of courses of treatment available. can be prescribed to treat
Flu season is here Just as cases in children and cases of COVID-19 are on the rise right after a nasty spike in RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus – Also.
lack of spots Over-the-counter pain relievers and medications Stores across the country have been reported to be particularly aimed at children.
HHS Commissioner Xavier Becerra and Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Calif hosted a conversation on Tuesday with leaders representing drug companies to ensure manufacturers have access to much-needed remedies. The company told agents it had not seen widespread shortages. Meanwhile, major pharmaceutical companies such as Johnson & Johnson and Perrigo report that their production lines are running 24 hours a day.
But pharmacies are restricting the purchase of certain drugs, The Associated Press reported Monday.CVS HealthCVS,
For example, we have placed a limit of two products on all children’s pain relief products purchased at pharmacies and online. Walgreens WBA,
limits customers to six over-the-counter fever-reducing children’s products online.
FDA has not reported a shortage of Tamiflu. However, federal agencies say the prescription antibiotic amoxicillin is in short supply due to increased demand.
