21 January, Vitebsk /Olga Bogacheva - BELTA/. Pharmacies of RUP "Belpharmatsiya" in the Vitebsk region have switched to extended operating hours, the Deputy General Director of the trade and production republican unitary enterprise "Farmatsiya" Irina Druzhinina told a BELTA correspondent.
In accordance with the proposal of the Ministry of Health of Belarus and due to the start of the seasonal increase in influenza and acute respiratory infections, RUP "Belpharmatsiya" pharmacies have extended their operating hours until 10:00 PM. Pharmacies located in outpatient clinics will operate according to the schedule of these institutions. They will operate in this mode throughout the period of increased morbidity, the beginning of which is expected in the second half of January - early February.
Comprehensive measures have been taken to ensure the uninterrupted supply of pharmacies with means for the prevention and treatment of respiratory infections, primarily of domestic production, noted Irina Druzhinina. Monitoring of drug availability has also been organized, and during the epidemic period, for a specific list of drugs, it will be carried out daily, which will fully satisfy the population's demand for medicines.
There are 272 RUP "Belpharmatsiya" pharmacies in the Vitebsk region, including 55 in the regional center.
According to Vladimir Sinkevich, Chief Physician of the Vitebsk Regional Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health, a seasonal increase in morbidity is currently observed in the region. However, its level is below the epidemic threshold criterion, and the intensity of the epidemic process is low. The etiological structure of ARIs is dominated by respiratory syncytial virus and adenoviruses. No cases of influenza have been registered. Children account for 52% of those infected, and adults account for 48%. -0-