PHARMACIES in Newport are struggling to keep up with demand for cold and flu medicines, with one pharmacist calling the current situation it "a whole different ball game".

The Argus has spoken to pharmacies in the city which have said they are concerned about the lack of both prescription and over-the-counter cold and flu remedies.

The Handpost Pharmacy on Stow Hill highlighted cough syrup as something close to gold-dust, with the store having to stock the often unused replacement Buttercup to try meet demand.

Boots has highlighted a particular shortage in Lemsip as cold and coughs weep through the streets.

When we went to Handpost Pharmacy staff were doing their best to try make sparse looking shelves appear as full as possible.

Manager Andrew Berry said he has never seen it like this before.

“There is a shortage and we are struggling to get hold of stock at the moment,” said Mr Berry.

“There’s very little on the shelves and it’s frustrating.

“We’re having to send people back to surgeries and trying to let them know what is available.

“At the moment it is luck of the draw for our customers. We try to switch to other drugs, but that has a knock-on effect because everyone tries to switch to that drug as well.

“We had the strep A, but this cold and flu over the counter is a completely different ball game.”

South Wales Argus:

(Manager Andrew Berry said he'd never seen Handpost's shelves so empty)

At Pill Pharmacy, on Commercial Road, manager Asim Ali confirmed his pharmacy is also struggling to meet demand.

“We are running out,” said Mr Ali. “We are just waiting for orders to arrive. There seems to be an increase. Where there is such a constant demand it is hard for suppliers to fulfill orders.

Mr Ali also noted that a decrease in mask-wearing was making people more susceptible to infections.

South Wales Argus:

Doing the best they can. Staff at Handpost Pharmacy: Debby Mitson, Sasha Thomas, Saleh Ahmed, Debra Barnard, Lisa Mustoe, Kerry Burke, Mariam Rasheed

South Wales Argus:

Boots shelves at their store on Commercial Street were bare

Boots has reassured the Argus it does have enough stock to meet demand - despite photos showing bare shelves in its store on Commercial Street.  

A spokesperson from Boots said: “General availability of cough and cold relief at our stores across the UK is good, and enough to meet current demand.

“There may be temporary shortages in some stores of a particular brand such as Lemsip, but there will almost always be suitable alternatives available.

“Customers should speak to their pharmacist for advice on alternatives, if needed.”