The Critical Role of the Pharmacist in the Global COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and the COVID-19 infection captured the world unprepared. Struggles with initial containment strategies led to a pandemic designation in March of 2020. As the pandemic progressed, challenges became overwhelming with the paucity, appraisal, and dissemination of data; prevention and treatment strategies; resource management; testing and vaccine development/distribution/administration efforts. Pharmacists, traditionally known for their dispensing roles in the community pharmacy setting, visibly stepped up to meet the fast-changing and dynamic needs of the COVID-19 pandemic. This chapter outlines the contributions of pharmacists during the pandemic with a deeper insight into the spectrum of roles that pharmacists are regularly engaged in within a range of settings. An explanation of the modified and expanded functions that the pandemic necessitated is presented against the background of evolution of the pharmacy profession and pharmacists through the past few decades.