Medicine sales limited to prevent hoarding; Don't call doctor with mild symptoms

In order to prevent medicine shortages and hoarding, the Ministry of Public Health agreed with pharmacies, drugstores and wholesalers to limit the amount of medicines sold per customer, medicines authority CBG said.

Prescription medicine will henceforth be sold as per the prescription, but customers will not be able to take medicines for long in advance. Over-the-counter medicine like paracetamol will be limited to three packs per customer, according to the CBG recommendation.

The CBG also said that it's received the question of whether ibuprofen can worsen the corona infection multiple times over the past days. According to CBG president Ton de Boer, there is insufficient evidence to prove that painkillers with anti-inflammatory properties like ibuprofen could worsen the course of the infection.

Nevertheless, the CBG recommends acetaminophen as a "safe and better choice to initially suppress fever and pain." Paracetamol has fewer side effects and "helps sufficiently against fever and pain", De Boer said.

Public health institute RIVM stressed that you don't have to call the doctor if you have only mild symptoms like a running nose, sneezing, a sore throat, a mild cough, and a fever up to 38 degrees Celsius. If these are your symptoms, stay at home and recover, the RIVM said on Twitter.

If your fever exceeds 38 degrees, you have a bad cough and shortness of breath - call your doctor.