Immunity products fare better “targeting the long COVID mkt

due to COVID-19 aftereffects

Interests shift to herbal medicines, nutritional supplements, and health functional foods

Symptoms vary from coughs, chest pain, loss of appetitie, fatigue, etc… lifestyle and dietary habits are important.

The OTC drug trend at pharmacies is changing.

 

Compared to February and March when the Omicron variant had wielded power over the country and sales at pharmacies increased due to a surge in demand for antipyretic analgesics and sore throat treatments, etc., sales of products related to long-term effects of COVID-19 are now increasing due to more and more people complaining about COVID-19 aftereffects.

 

Purchase and requests for general OTC drugs at pharmacies for coughs, chest pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, lethargy, and nutritional supplements have increased among patients who overcame COVID-19.

 

Pharmacist A said, “With the COVID-19 wave subsiding, sales from prescriptions for confirmed patients and sales of OTC drugs have decreased significantly.

 

The number of prescriptions for confirmed patients has drastically decreased to 1/5-1/6, and the number of customers purchasing related OTC drugs has also decreased significantly.

 

These days, more and more patients visit pharmacies to buy drugs or consult about their COVID-19 aftereffects.

 

The number of new confirmed cases has decreased to 47,743 on the 17th, with the number of patients treated at home falling under a million as of midnight on the 18th to 742,367.

 

Pharmacist A said, “Since many patients complain about continued sore throat or coughs, OTD drugs such as Yonggaksan, Troche products, and herbal medicines are relatively popular.” An official from a pharmaceutical company that produces herbal medicines said, “Sales of our products surged in February and March due to COVID-19 sore throat symptoms and continue to stay strong in April.

 

I think the interest in herbal medicine has increased due to the need for long-term intake.” Also, pharmacist A explained that inquiries and counseling on nutritional supplements or nutritional tonics also continue with some younger and many older people complaining of fatigue, lethargy, and sleep disorders, Pharmacist B said, just like some clinics and oriental clinics have recently increased focus on COVID-19 recovery treatments, there are differences in products recommended by age and various products ranging from nutritional tonics and arginine that can provide instant symptom recovery to comprehensive nutritional supplements that can be taken long-term are being sold at the pharmacy." B continued, “Since the aftereffects experienced by patients vary greatly, patients with more severe symptoms purchase more expensive products such as Gongjin-dans and Kyungo-gos.

 

We have also been recommended health functional foods related to long COVID symptom relief to our customers.” Also, YouTube videos related to long COVID are recording more views recently.

 

From instructions on taking high-dose vitamins to specific videos that recommend products directly purchased from overseas, lots of drugs and health functional foods are being presented as being good for COVID-19 after-effects in the media, and pharmacists voicing that “it is important to properly know about each drug for proper intake.” Pharmacist Ji-Hyan Lee recently said in YTN Radio's ‘Wise Radio Life’ corner, "Being infected with COVID-19 is like catching a big fire.

 

Even if it is incinerated, fire residues and debris remain.

 

You have to take care of yourself for at least 3 months, and above all, it is important not to overwork and pace yourself well.” Pharmacist C said, “Symptoms such as cough and phlegm can improve relatively quickly, but recovery from dizziness or lethargy can be slow or difficult.

 

Therefore, it is important to raise your immunity on a daily basis, and manage your hygiene and immunity as well as tend to your lifestyle and dietary habits.”