Pearland, Bay Area pharmacy working to keep people healthy in a COVID-19-focused environment

As cities and businesses do their part to fight off the spread of COVID-19, health care providers find themselves not only fighting the spread but also fighting other patient ailments.

“That is essentially what we do as pharmacists throughout the year, but now, it’s on steroids,” Pyramids Pharmacy co-owner Dr. Dalia Kasseb said.

Pyramids Pharmacy, which has Pearland and Webster locations, has not only worked on new coronavirus prevention but is also making sure people are getting the prescriptions they need around the clock, too, including diabetes and blood pressure medicine, Kasseb said.

Some people expressed to Kasseb that they are afraid of picking up their medicine or getting infusions, which can be vital to patients who have had transplants, cancer or neurological disorders. In these cases, education has been important, she said.

“One thing we say to our patients is that, ‘Yes, this is a scary time, ... but the most important thing you can do is to stay healthy,'” Kasseb said. “If you do, God forbid, attract COVID-19, you need to be in your best state of health.”

The business has implemented curbside service as well as contact-free deliveries. Pyramids Pharmacy also offers free delivery, which Kasseb said she is starting to see people utilize.

For patients who have decided to stop taking their medications or not to go to therapy, Pyramids has been consulting with those patients’ physicians. The goal is to have a team-oriented approach to make sure people get the care they need at this time, Kasseb said.

“I hope there are no pharmacies in town that have shut down. Patients could be missing out on medications that could save their lives,” she said.