Summer of discontent sees demand soar for flu fixes

PHARMACISTS across Ireland have seen sales of traditional winter cold remedies rocket as the dismal summer weather causes people to catch colds and flu.

Chemists said demand was at levels normally seen at the onset of winter — even though July is normally the best month for summer weather.

Last week, British-based chemists chain Boots, which also operates stores in Ireland, said demand for winter remedies was up 247% on normal July levels.

Yesterday, the Irish Pharmaceutical Union (IPU), which represents chemists across Ireland, said bad weather had also led to reduced demand for sun cream and insect bite remedies.

IPU member and chemist Darragh O’Loughlin said: “We are selling as much in the way of cold remedies as we would expect to sell in late autumn or the beginning of winter. However, we’re not seeing as many people with burns from barbecues or with injuries from gardening.

“And the wet weather has also reduced the incidence of hay fever as the rain is keeping the pollen down in the ground.”

He said more people were catching colds and sniffling as they were being driven indoors by the wet weather where they were closer to other people.

“In winter people catch colds not due to cold weather, per se, but because they are driven indoors and are closer to other people with a cold,” he said.

Mr O’Loughlin, who runs the Medwell pharmacy in Tuam, Co Galway, said demand was noticeably higher for sinus treatments and nasal decongestants.

At Tesco, Ireland’s biggest grocery supermarket, demand is up 10% for cold remedies compared to a typical July.

Met Éireann yesterday predicted the rain would continue until Saturday, with the weather this week dominated by showers, which could remain heavy.

* www.meteireann.ie