Nationwide shortage of children's cold medicine being felt in Manitoba
Some versions of children's cold and fever medications are in short supply as a nationwide run on kids liquid Tylenol and Advil is being felt here in Manitoba.
With back to school is around the corner, and as a dad Tyler Krost says he knows it coincides with cold and flu season.
"No matter what kind of preventions you take, it's inevitable that they will get sick and it's going to spread through the house," he said.
Some of the key over-the-counter medicines for cold, fever and aches are in short supply and have been for months, including children's liquid Tylenol and Advil.
Krost said it's been stressful at times trying to track them down.
"The shelves are bare, you know what I mean? Often the shelves are bare and we're going to multiple Shoppers or Superstores to try and find it."
The nationwide shortage, blamed on supply chain issues, prompted Toronto's SickKids hospital to warn parents they may need a prescription for liquid Tylenol and Advil in cases where only larger stock bottles are available and have to be repacked to smaller ones requiring a prescription.
There has not been a similar caution in Manitoba.
Shared Health said it cannot comment on the supply in community pharmacies but says hospitals have enough.
"Our hospitals are managing these shortages with existing supply, and there remain some equally effective alternatives available through our usual supply chain.”
Winnipeg pharmacist Monique Sanchez said other options include chewable versions. But before doling them out, parents should talk to their doctor or pharmacist about the proper amounts.
"There would be a little bit of a dosage estimate because with Tylenol and with Advil, it mainly goes by weight and by age," Sanchez said.
Because of the shortages, they only stock a limited supply of the liquid forms when they can get it.
"We want you to try to keep the supply fair so that other people from other locations will still be able to get a decent amount of supply."
Krost said for that same reason his family does not hoard when they're actually able to find Tylenol or Advil.
"I'm licensed but I'm not driving, so we're bussing around to actually find this stuff so it does become tough absolutely," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
NEW 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire': A crowd pleaser that turns it up to 11
Hot on the heels of last year's 'Godzilla Minus One' comes 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,' the first ever Academy Award winner in the giant reptile's decades-long film career.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.