Almost dreading the March 23 date, when the lockdown was imposed in 2020, Amdavadis are leaving nothing to chance. Little wonder then that city-based chemists and medical shops now report a marked increase in sales of immunity boosters, vitamins and nutritional supplements.
“The spurt in viral infections ever since February has seen people buying Vitamin C chewable tablets, even if it has not been prescribed. Added, the looming fear of H3N2 is behind the rising demand for immunity-boosters. We retail ayurvedic, homeopathic and allopathic drugs but the current trend clearly favours immunity boosters such as chawanprash, vitamin C tablets and multi-vitamin syrups,” shared a chemist on CG Road.
According to estimates by Federation of Gujarat State Chemists and Druggists’ Associations (FGSCDA), sale of vitamins and minerals increased by 20% in the first fortnight of March.
Vitamins C, D3, B complex and multivitamins supplements have been flying off the shelves. “Prolonged viral infection in the last two months has been lingering. Even if the fever subsides, the cough persists. Cough syrups and anti-histamines are running out in stores because of the renewed demand,” briefed Alpesh Patel, chairman, FGSCDA.
Adding further, Dr Pragnesh Vachcharajani, honorary secretary, Federation of Family Physicians’ Associations of India, elaborated that the pandemic taught people “fighting the virus from within. A strong system does not take long to fight back and that explains the turning to immunity boosters.”
According to AIOCD-AWACS, the pharmaceutical market research company of the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists’ Associations (AIOCD), sale value of vitamins, minerals and nutrients grew by 12% from Rs 36.7 crore in February 2022 to Rs 41.1 crore in February 2023.
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