Pharmacy sees respiratory equipment shortages

BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – While many are concerned about medicine shortages, a local pharmacist says her business is seeing shortages elsewhere.

Rhonda’s Pharmacy in Beckley doubles as a home medical equipment store. Lately, more people have been calling to ask about respiratory equipment that is usually used for patients with COPD or sleep apnea.

Rhonda Rose says her equipment requires a prescription, as hospitals have what they need to treat those diagnosed with COVID-19.

“Once they’ve been diagnosed with that, they are admitted to the hospital for observation,” said Rose. “Most of the treatment is done in the hospital. You have to have a certain diagnosis [like] asthma or COPD in order to receive the equipment.”
Since treatment is taken care of at the hospital for coronavirus patient, there is no need for the general public to buy unneeded respiratory equipment.
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Kassie Simmons
Kassie Simmons joined the team in January 2019 as a weekend journalist. She graduated from Virginia Tech in just two and a half years with a BA in multimedia journalism. During her short time at Virginia Tech, she served as the editor for the university’s chapter of The Tab. Kassie was named the top reporter for The Tab at Virginia Tech on multiple occasions and made the list for the top 30 reporters for The Tab in the U.S. She also studied theater performance and minored in creative writing. Before coming to WOAY, Kassie interned at WSLS in Roanoke and the Tidewater Review in her hometown of West Point, Va. She has loved following breaking news since her childhood and has a passion for delivering the stories people care most about. Kassie is excited to be working in Southern West Virginia and looks forward to all the adventures ahead of her. You can follow her on Twitter at @KassieLSimmons and like her page on Facebook. If you have a story you think she should check out, send her an email at ksimmons@woay.com.