CORNWALL, Ontario – Over the past month, the government of Ontario has introduced several Emergency Orders. These orders are meant to help fight the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, and have changed lives significantly for everyday people and businesses.
One of these Emergency Orders restricts the number of people who are permitted to gather in one place, down to five. Another order issued by the government closed all businesses deemed “non-essential,” and this list was further expanded last week.
The businesses who have remained open, and are indeed essential, are having to develop strategies to cope with the new reality of enforcing social distancing wherever possible.
One such business are pharmacies, and it cannot be questioned how essential they truly are.
Medical Arts Pharmacy has implemented a string of new procedures and policies to continue to meet their client’s essential needs, while also ensuring their health and safety.
Medical Arts remains open for full service at both locations but with changes. As usual they offer free in town delivery for all their clients and now have extended this free service to rural areas. If clients of either location prefer to pick up their orders, they may do so at the Thirteenth Street drive-thru window.
Placing an order with either pharmacy can still be done by phone or by using their app and non-prescription items can be added to any prescription order.
The biggest and most difficult change is that, for now, clients are not able to enter either location but for the most part, the same level of customer service is provided but in a different way. Pharmacists now provide patient counselling mostly by telephone.
“As a business owner, closing your doors to the public is a difficult decision to make, but we are about to enter a crucial two weeks with regard to the pandemic” said Harry Haramis, co-owner of Medical Arts Pharmacy. “We believe strongly in doing our part to stop the spread of this terrible virus.”
Additionally, to ensure that all clients are able to receive the medication that they need, Medical Arts is also limiting prescription refills to 30-day amounts as recommended by the Ministry of Health.
For more information, call Medical Arts Pharmacy at 613-932-6501 or 613-933-0670.
