Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center

Just like you, PCCA has been closely monitoring the documented cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the worldwide response to this outbreak. While this is an evolving situation with many unknowns, PCCA is committed to doing our part to help protect our members, customers, staff members and, ultimately, patients.

Here you’ll find the latest updates about our PCCA response to the coronavirus outbreak, plus resources, links and other information that may be helpful to you, your pharmacy and your patients as we navigate through the far-reaching impact of COVID-19.

Are you a PCCA member with access to Clinical Services? Make sure to log in to view recommended formulas!

Latest Updates

7/26/2020

Resources

Resources > Member Survey Results

Education Updates

US COVID-19 Federal Laws

Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)

PCCA Blog Post: We worked hard for the CARES Act. Use It. – A guest post by NCPA’s Doug Hoey, RPh, MBA
CARES Act Relief for Businesses – More details about the CARES Act and how you can utilize it
CARES ACT Small Business Guide and Checklist – Information from U.S. Chamber of Commerce
CARES Act Key Tax Provisions

Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)

PCCA Blog Post: What the Families First Act Means for Independent Community Pharmacies
FFCRA FAQs – FAQs about the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
FFCRA Poster – Poster that can be posted in employee gathering areas, as well as emailed or posted on your intranet
- FFCRA Poster FAQs – FAQs about how/where/when to post information about the Families First Act

Paycheck Protection Program

Paycheck Protection Program FAQs for Small Businesses – More information about the new Paycheck Protection Program

Other

Resources for Doctors – Information on business loans, provider relief fund, Medicare payments and non-elective surgeries
Coverage and Cost-Sharing of COVID-19 Testing

Communication Tools for Pharmacies During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Please feel free to use the following communications examples and tools in your messaging to employees and patients. We will add resources and templates here as they are available.

Resources for Employees

Share with your team members to explain the importance of their role within the healthcare industry and need for maintaining a normal work schedule

Resources for Patients/Practitioners

TEMPLATE: Letter to Patients During COVID-19 Outbreak

Media Resources

Additional Resources

PCCA Press Releases

Coronavirus Clinical Information

Compounding Sterile Medications for Hospitals Treating COVID-19 Patients

On April 20, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a guidance document, Temporary Policy for Compounding of Certain Drugs for Hospitalized Patients by Pharmacy Compounders not Registered as Outsourcing Facilities During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

Compounding Hand Sanitizer

On March 14, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it will not take action against pharmacies that provide compounded alcohol-based hand sanitizer products during the coronavirus pandemic if the conditions of the guidance document are met.

FDA Guidance for Temporary Compounding of Certain Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer Products During the Public Health Emergency

PCCA is publicly sharing two hand sanitizer formulas, developed based on guidelines provided by the WHO and cited in the FDA guidance, to help compounding pharmacies support their communities during this time.

Access Hand Sanitizer Formulas

LitCovid from the NLM/NIH

LitCovid is a curated literature hub for tracking up-to-date scientific information about the 2019 novel Coronavirus. It is the most comprehensive resource on the subject, providing central access to thousands of relevant articles in PubMed. The articles are updated daily and are further categorized by different research topics and geographic locations for improved access.

Visit LitCovid

Nutritional Supplements

Nutritional supplements are important to overall health, and may support the immune system. The Wellness Works team recommends these products at this time. Due to demand, some products may be temporarily out of stock.

Wellness Works

Wellness Works products are available only to U.S. customers.

Learn more about the Immune Support Nutritional line from Wellness Works.

ProWellness

ProWellness products are available exclusively to Canadian Customers

Coronavirus Resources for Pharmacy Owners

Ask Eagle Experts Your COVID-19 Questions
- Eagle COVID-19 Updates – Get the answers to questions that are being asked, plus view informative episodes of Eagle TV
CDC: Coronavirus Disease 2019
CDC: Travel Information
FDA: Temporary Guidance for Compounding During the Public Health Emergency
FDA: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Johns Hopkins: COVID-19 Dashboard
NASPA: Compilation of State Actions Affecting Pharmacy
NCPA: March 22, 2020 Teleconference Recording includes:
- Small business relief measures that have been implemented
- Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA) briefing on the emergency stimulus package, DIR and other key issues
- Policy experts share how to contact members of Congress to demand DIR relief and more
OSHA: COVID-19 - Information for workers and employers about the evolving coronavirus outbreak
OSHA: Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19
PCCA New Product: AccuTherm™ Medi-Scan Clinical Infrared Thermometer (#35-5765)
Testing: Options & Implementation in Your Pharmacy
Testing: Medicare Reimbursement for Pharmacist-Administered COVID-19 Tests
World Health Organization: Protective Measures Against Coronavirus

Member Survey Results

Canada

Australia

Australian Government Department of Health: Coronovirus Health Alert

PCCA Briefings

PCCA’s April 20, 2020 COVID-19 Briefing

Eagle's Ross Caputo joins PCCA’s A. J. Day and Matt Martin to break down the new FDA Guidance for Industry, temporarily allowing pharmacy compounders not registered as outsourcing facilities to compound certain drugs for hospitalized patients during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

April 20 Member Briefing Slides

PCCA’s April 13, 2020 COVID-19 Briefing

PCCA’s Bryan Prescott breaks down the new Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), and explains what they mean for your practice. Then, special guest Cindy Moon discusses telehealth technologies.

April 13 Member Briefing Slides

PCCA’s April 6, 2020 COVID-19 Briefing

Special guest Mark Edgar, Senior Vice President of Hill+Knowlton Strategies, joins three of PCCA's marketing and public relations experts to share keen insight into managing communications during a time of crisis.

PCCA’s March 30, 2020 COVID-19 Briefing

Special guest attorney Charles Wilson breaks down the new Families First Coronavirus Response Act and shares what it means for your pharmacy.

March 30 Member Briefing Slides

PCCA’s March 23, 2020 COVID-19 Briefing

PCCA President Jim Smith and PCCA Chief Scientific Officer Gus Bassani discuss PCCA's response to the coronavirus pandemic, including an update on the pharmaceutical supply chain and product availability.

Education Updates

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we have restructured our upcoming training and event schedule to allow for virtual attendance now and live attendance later in the year. We look forward to seeing you online soon, or in person in a few months! Here are the key updates:

CORE Compounding Training Virtual Lecture (Part 1) NEW! – July 13-15 – Register Now
Sterility Assurance Training Virtual Lecture (Part 1) (June 29 – July 2) – Register Now
HRT Virtual Conference (July 16-18) – Register Now
Dermatology Virtual Conference (August 6-8) – Replaces Dermatology Symposium in Houston (June 18-20) – Register Now
Veterinary Virtual Conference (October 1-3) – Replaces Veterinary Symposium in Nashville (August 6-8) – Register Now

As of now, our remaining original 2020 training/event dates are scheduled as planned – download a copy of our updated schedule.

The well-being of our customers and team members is a priority. We have put several measures into place to help ensure your safety while at PCCA for live events and training courses. If you have any questions, please call our Events team at 800.331.2498 or email pccaevents@pccarx.com.

PCCA Canada

The following new dates are for postponed education and training events.

Pain in a Day Virtual Conference (June 27) – Replaces postponed June 6 live event
C3 Training, London, Ontario (August 10-14) – Replaces postponed June 1-5 training
Aseptic Training, London, Ontario (October 21-23) – Replaces postponed April 29 – May 1 training

PCCA Canada Coronavirus Support

Member Briefings

PCCA Canada COVID-19 Briefing | April 22, 2020

In this briefing recorded specifically for Canadian pharmacies, PCCA’s Mike De Lisio, Sebastian Denison and Amanda Cassel share resources and best practices for operating during the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) public health emergency.

Canada COVID-19 Federal Laws & Resources

Federal Laws and Employer Resources – includes information on Canada’s COVID-19 economic response plan for businesses, Canada employer responsibilities, employee resources and compounding hand sanitizer information

Communication Tools

Resources

Education Updates

PCCA Canada has postponed the following education and training events. We are currently working to secure new dates.

C3 Training (June 1-5) – New date added: August 10-14, 2020
Pain in a Day (June 6) – Postponed to June 27 (Livestream Event)
NAPRA: Risk Assessments (April 2)
Autoimmune and Adrenal Support Symposium (April 3-4)
Aseptic Training (April 29 – May 1) – Postponed to October 21-23

Frequently Asked Questions

The following are reprinted from the Houston Methodist Health Care Notice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more FAQs and the most up-to-date information on the coronavirus, please visit the CDC website.

Q: What is the 2019 Novel Coronavirus?

A: The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a new respiratory virus first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. This virus was not previously known to cause human illness until the recent outbreak. It is believed that the virus was initially transmitted to humans from a wild animal. Human-to-human transmission is now the most common route of transmission.

Q: What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

A: Similar to many viral respiratory illnesses, the symptoms of the virus mimic the common cold and include mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Symptoms may appear between two to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Also be mindful that we are in ﬂu season and pollen counts are high, so there are many other causes for upper respiratory symptoms that are much more common than COVID-19.

Q: How does COVID-19 spread?

A: As with any viral respiratory illness, COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small respiratory droplets, which are dispersed when a person with the virus coughs or sneezes and are then inhaled by another person. These droplets can also land on objects and surfaces around the infected person. Other people then catch the virus by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

Q: How do I protect myself from getting COVID-19?

A: There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent the spread of germs is proper hand hygiene and cough etiquette. Below are some other tips:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and perform hand hygiene immediately.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

Q: What happens if I come in contact with someone who has been exposed to the coronavirus?

A: Older people and people with severe chronic conditions should take special precautions because they are at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness.

If you are a close contact of someone with COVID-19 and develop symptoms of COVID-19, call your healthcare provider and tell them about your symptoms and your exposure.
If you are a resident in a community where there is ongoing spread of COVID-19 and you develop COVID-19 symptoms, call your healthcare provider and tell them about your symptoms.
For people who are ill with COVID-19, but are not sick enough to be hospitalized, please follow CDC guidance on how to reduce the risk of spreading your illness to others. People who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to isolate at home during their illness.
If you have been in China or another affected area or have been exposed to someone sick with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, you will face some limitations on your movement and activity. Please follow instructions during this time. Your cooperation is integral to the ongoing public health response to try to slow spread of this virus.