Singapore restricts Panadol sales after many residents look for a Covid surge in China

SINGAPORE, KOMPAS.com – Singapore limited sales of Panadol after an unexpected increase in demand from December 16, 2022.

kompas.com found that the two largest pharmacies in the “Lion State” in Tiong Bahru district enforced control over the purchase of Panadol.

At Watson’s pharmacy, the pharmacist delivered a kompas.com on Saturday afternoon (12/24/2022), Panadol purchases must be made through the cashier. In fact, Panadol can usually be taken easily over the pharmacy counter.

Read also: China peak of Covid-19: Chinese citizens in Singapore queue to send Panadol to families in their country

The pharmacist continued, these restrictions were made to control the supply of panadol.

Meanwhile, the Guardian pharmacy has published an announcement of an upper limit of six boxes. Even though it has been shrunk, Panadol’s window looks almost empty, full of shoppers.

Also outlets supermarket Singapore’s largest FairPrice has also followed in the footsteps of pharmacies by limiting Panadol purchases to four boxes.

In its statement, FairPrice asked buyers to buy Panadol for personal use only. This supermarket also added that apart from Panadol, there are still many alternative medicines that can be used to treat fever and flu.

Panadol manufacturing spokesman Haleon said the company was working hard to continue manufacturing Panadol due to growing demand for the drug in Singapore.

Read also: Amid exploding Covid-19 cases, China’s Health Commission stops announcing daily data

Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) has intervened, warning that a dramatic increase in demand for Panadol would extend the supply chain cycle to ensure the drug’s availability in the ‘Merlion Country’.

The surge in demand for Panadol in Singapore has come in line with the outbreak of the Covid-19 case in China. Many Chinese in Singapore are rushing to send supplies of Panadol to relatives and friends in ‘panda country’.

Reports of long queues of Chinese nationals in Singapore to send flu medicines have been detected at a number of companies specializing in courier services in China, most notably at the People’s Park Complex building in the Chinatown district.

An employee said that as of Tuesday (12/20/2022), his courier company must limit the number of customers sending medical supplies to China to 50 per day.

Read also: The city of Qingdao in China detects 530,000 new cases of Covid-19 per day

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