rescue team wearing protective suits carry a patient on a stretcher
(Photo : Reuters)

According to global updates, there are hundreds of thousands of people affected by the pandemic in 200 countries.

As the cases continue to rise, hospitals are now reported to have a shortage in the supply of inhalers.

Albuterol Inhalers

Metered dose inhalers or MDI's are filled with the medication albuterol which greatly helps with respiratory issues such as diseases like asthma and cough. 

Albuterol is also found to be a helpful medicine to serious diseases like Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD, which is a lung disease. 

Common types of inhalers that are now greatly used by physicians to treat coronavirus are on a list of running supplies in the hospitals in helping battling COVID-19. 

The hospitals fill the inhalers with albuterol as they treat the patients with severe respiratory syndrome problems caused by the new novel COVID-19. 

Shortage in Supply

According to some data gathered by Premier, a healthcare supplier in the United states, in the first weeks of March, hospitals have ordered more than usual for the past years or periods. This is to adjust with the rising potential loss of inhalers.

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At least one manufacturer was reported to be ramping up the production. 

Right now, the shortage of supplies is one of the major problems in the hospitals not only in the United States, but all over the world. It was also found  that in some healthcare systems personal protective equipment or PPE like face masks, face shields, eye wears, gowns, gloves, and test kits are running low and the administrators are forced to make arrangements and protocols against the shortage of the supplies.

They are also forced to make the rules that will take up as a ration and reuse the gear to limit the use of the supplies as the whole health care systems are battling COVID-19.

The hospitals are now strictly reserving the inhalers for the severe cases of the COVID 19 patients.

Manufacturers' Response

GlaxoSmithKline, a pharmaceutical and healthcare supply company, also saw the evident increase in demand and they are already taking the necessary procedure to try and address this. GSK makes Ventolin inhalers, which are a type of drug inhalers that also contain albuterol. 

A spokesperson from GSK added that they are now proactively continuing the supply of ventolin inhalers as these inhalers are much needed in treating the said virus. The existing contingency plans also include the increase in the production as the demand for medications are much needed.

Bronchodilator and albuterol deliver a fast action in relaxing airway muscles that helps the lungs to improve the air flow. 

As the inhaler delivers the albuterol to the virus and to patients, it acts as a medication that helps the patient to breathe more easily as the virus blocks its airways.