Pharmacists say it’s very challenging in their industry right now. There are staffing shortages for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

Pharmacy schools are seeing decreased enrollments due to larger class sizes pre-COVID-19, which created an abundance of pharmacists working in New York. Now they’re seeing a severe shortage.

There is no formal training for pharmacy technicians who help manage the workload of a pharmacy, creating another challenge in filling these tough specialized positions.

Upstate Director of Pharmacy Peter Aiello says those shortages makes it more demanding for the ones left working, and they are burning out and leaving the business.

“We’re not there just to dispense medications,” Aiello said. “Our primary role is to ensure drug safety and effective medication management. In the hospital, we play an integral role with our physician and nursing colleagues.

“In the retail space, if you see a long line in a pharmacy and you think it’s just putting a label on a bottle, that’s not the case. It’s making sure there’s no drug interactions, and especially for children, we make sure the dose is correct for their weight and age.”

In addition to the labor shortage, Aiello says pharmacies are seeing low inventories of medicines.

“We’re still seeing supply chain disruptions. A great example of that is with a new preventative injectable for newborns called Beyfortus,” Aiello added. “This is supposed to prevent [respiratory syncytial virus] in newborns. And unfortunately, because of supply chain issues, the drug manufacturers were unable to produce enough this year.”

He adds there are shortages of all medicines, but especially Tylenol, Motrin and common antibiotics.

Aiello's expert advice is a reminder to wash your hands and cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze to maintain good respiratory health.