2023-10-13 11:44:00
If summer has continued in Belgium for several weeks, certain viruses nevertheless seem to be actively circulating in society. It is difficult to know to what extent covid-19 is currently present due to the cessation of testing, but the figures from Newpharma, the first online pharmacy in Belgium, provide a more precise overview.
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She indeed notes a remarkable increase in sales of Covid-19 self-tests and Perdolan in September 2023. The sale of Covid-19 self-tests tripled compared to August 2023, thus returning to the level at the start of the year. Concerning Perdolan, this medicine which acts once morest pain and fever, sales were more than three times higher than those during the month of August.
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“There is a real contrast between the purchasing habits of Belgians and what we might consider as the Indian summer that we experienced recently,” indicates Gilles Jourquin, CEO Newpharma. These are clear signs that there is something going on in the virus field. This trend may already indicate a sharp increase in the number of people suffering from flu, colds and Covid-19. This is a relatively early increase compared to the usual flu season, which typically begins in the fall, with peak activity between December and February. September is therefore relatively early this year.”
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It cannot be used for more than 5 consecutive days and not more than 4 to 5 times a year.”
“We see patients who are totally addicted”
Nasal spray sales also began to increase sharply in late September, with volumes normally only seen in December or January.
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“Since September 26, there has been a sharp increase in demand for nasal sprays and painkillers,” he continues. We are on a quarter more than the two most important months of the year in 2021 and 2022, so we find ourselves with a greater quantity of housing than the winter months. Their active ingredient has proven effective in decongesting blocked noses but their chronic use is largely not recommended given that it can damage nasal tissues. Which seems at odds with the current atmospheric conditions in Belgium, we tend to be told “moving around there is nothing to see” but these trends and these volumes are closer to the start of the covid pandemic. Which is quite surprising because we don’t do any promotion on these products.”
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For Dr Dirk Devroey, general practitioner and professor at the VUB, the phenomenon of addiction to nasal spray should concern pharmacists. “They must keep an eye on requests related to these products, in particular by avoiding giving several boxes to the same patient,” he explains. We see patients addicted to these sprays and we know that pharmacists prohibit certain patients from repurchasing them; these are people who sometimes have the impression that their mucous membranes will swell if they do not take them. The rule is simple: you cannot use it for more than five consecutive days and no more than 4 to 5 times a year, or a maximum of 30 days a year.”
In certain cases, it may be interesting to use a nasal spray, available without a prescription in pharmacies and which works very well. But abuse can be dangerous for your health. “This can in fact damage the mucous membranes of the nose and in certain cases, there is even a risk of perforation of the nasal septum,” warns Dr Devroey. Used in excess, the molecules of the nasal spray end up putting the cilia in the nose to sleep. They then risk no longer functioning, and these people will therefore have chronic colds. This is why today, we recommend more salt water in the form of physiological serum”.
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