CVS, Walgreens limit purchases of children’s pain-relief medicine
Dec 19, 2022, 6:18 PM
BURBANK, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 06: A sign reads 'We're sorry' in a children's pain and fever remedy section of a CVS pharmacy on December 6, 2022 in Burbank, California. Southern California is being hit by a wave of three viruses, the flu, COVID-19 and RSV, with the CDC classifying the state of California as having a ‘high’ level of flu activity. Shortages of basic cold and flu remedies are being seen in some pharmacies in the region ahead of the holiday season. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
(CNN) — Increased demand has led CVS and Walgreens to limit purchases of children’s pain-relief medicine, the companies confirmed to CNN on Monday.
CVS is restricting both in-person and online purchases to two children’s pain relief products. Walgreens has limited online purchases to six over-the-counter fever reducers per transaction, but it does not have an in-store purchase limit.
“Due to increased demand and various supplier challenges, over-the-counter pediatric fever reducing products are seeing constraint across the country,” Walgreens said in a statement. The limits were put into place “in an effort to help support availability and avoid excess purchases.”
CVS also cited increased demand for these items and collaboration with suppliers to ensure continued access.
The limits were placed to “ensure equitable access” for all customers, according to a statement from CVS.
The moves by CVS and Walgreens come amid a brutal respiratory virus season that continues to strain pediatric hospitals. Young children are particularly vulnerable to RSV, which has hospitalized more than 4 out of every 1,000 children younger than 5 this season, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Weekly RSV hospitalizations have dropped dramatically over the past month — but even with the improvements, hospitalizations are still higher than normal. Flu activity remains high, and Covid-19 is trending up across the country.
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