A pharmacist who spoke with Channel 5 News says there’s a shortage of Paxlovid, the drug used to treat COVID-19.

“We tried during the pandemic to get a hold of some,” Michael Sander said. “We called Pfizer, they never really got back with us.”

Sander is the pharmacist at Sander Pharmacy of Weslaco. He says he’s had a hard time getting Paxlovid, and he usually refers patients to big companies such as CVS or Walgreens. 

Channel 5 News reached out to several CVS and Walgreens pharmacies across the Rio Grande Valley. They all said Paxlovid wasn't available because of an increase in demand.

“They could've just miscalculated production and the need for it, those type of situations happen, but generally they get fixed quickly,” Sander said.

The Administration for Strategic Preparedness & Response has a website to find out which pharmacies carry Paxlovid, and other COVID-19 medications.  

In the Weslaco area, eight pharmacy locations were listed as sites with Paxlovid. However, Channel 5 News reached out to all of them to make sure Paxlovid was in stock, and only one of them had the medication available. 

“That’s a poor situation, and we have to ask why we're in that situation,” Sander said. 

Pharmacists recommend taking plenty of vitamins and staying hydrated while dealing with Covid symptoms. 

Channel 5 News spoke with Hidalgo County health officials earlier this month. They said they’ve seen a 25% spike in Covid cases compared to the month of June, and that those spikes tend to happen in the summer when people are traveling.

EDITOR'S NOTE: After this story initially aired on Thursday, July 18, CVS Pharmacy communications director Amy Thibault said all their locations are able to fill Paxlovid prescriptions, as the pharmacy team can order the medication and receive the next day.

"If there are shortages of any prescription medication, we work with our suppliers to replenish supply as quickly as we can," Thibault said in a statement. "Our pharmacy teams make every effort to ensure patients have access to the medications they need and, if possible, will work with patients and prescribers to identify potential alternatives."

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