Greenwich Compounding Pharmacy

06/01/2023

We are looking for a local who would like to earn money helping us to recycle liquid herb bottles. Process is to collect used bottles from us, clean them at home anytime of day and then return them so we can reuse. Pay is per bottle. Must have an ABN. Please DM if interested to find out more.

30/11/2022

The Greenwich Village Games are on this weekend.

May the best team win!

And by "best team" we of course mean TRIBE!

05/01/2022

We are sold out of Rapid Antigen Tests, but the phone keeps ringing hot with queries.
Here's a website we've heard about that lists sites with stock. We have no connection with them, just thought it might help someone.
Amazing what a young enterprising developer can do quickly...
www.findarat.com.au

Helping you find those Rapid Antigen Tests all over Australia

02/01/2022

13/04/2021

Fluvax Bookings now available. Ask in store or book using this link:
https://greenwich-village-pharmacy.pharmacybookings.com.au

02/04/2021

Our Easter Weekend Hours:
Saturday - Open: 9am to 2pm
Sunday - closed
Monday - closed

20/04/2020

Hello, Thought we should share this little article with you.

If you are going to wear a mask, there are a few tricks to doing it the right way.

In stock right now
- a variety of masks
- a variety of hand sanitisers (gel and spray)
- Immune formulas
- ventolin and
- kids panadol

Stay safe and please call for delivery if you would prefer to stay at home.

Wearing a face mask takes some getting used to. To get the most benefit, you need to avoid these common mistakes.

17/04/2020

Understandably you've asked quite a few questions about boosting immunity over the past few months. It's always a valid topic, not just in light of COVID-19.

Immunity covers many physiological processes and can be affected by genetics, nutritional status and lifestyle habits. As such we are going to address immunity in small easily digestible chunks, starting with sleep and what to do if you aren’t getting enough.

😴 Sleep is a powerful immunity elixir

Many Australians do not get enough sleep.

Sufficient Sleep (7 - 9 hours per day for adults 18+ and much more for the young uns. See below)
is associated with a reduced infection risk,
can improve infection outcome and
can improve vaccination responses.

Sleep is the ultimate elixir for brain and body. When you are sleeping your body is not creating toxins like it does during normal daily activity such as eating and exercising. In fact it does the opposite. For 8 hours (if you are lucky) your natural physiological processes are cleansing and scrubbing, resetting and repairing. Literally mopping up the "damage" you've created during the day.

Sleep allows your busy and potentially anxious mind to take a well needed break. It helps to reduce stress and anxiety. It regulates hormones, appetite and energy levels.

Prolonged sleep deficiency (e.g., short sleep duration, sleep disturbance) can lead to chronic, systemic low-grade inflammation and is associated with various diseases that have an inflammatory component, like diabetes, atherosclerosis, and neuro-degeneration. A lack of sleep can exacerbates stress, anxiety and depression.

In summary you can eat the best diet and follow an exercise plan like a pro, BUT if you are not getting enough sleep, your immunity can still be compromised.

If you are having trouble falling asleep, you could try...

- reducing/ stopping caffeine
- implementing a sleep hygiene routine and
- making sure you are getting enough exercise to make you physically tired

The vitamins, minerals and amino acids required to produce the sleep hormone melatonin from serotonin are
Tryptophan
Magnesium
Calcium and
Vitamin B6.

All are available in a healthy whole food diet but if you are experiencing long term sleep issues however minor, you can also take supplements of tryptophan, magnesium, Calcium and B6. Magnesium is also available as epsom salts for a long soak in the bath. Melatonin is also available as a supplement.

If you would like to discuss sleep supplements with our qualified pharmacists please do not hesitate to call us. Sleep is a very powerful elixir.

HOW MUCH SLEEP IS ENOUGH SLEEP?

Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours each day
Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours
Toddlers (1-2 years): 11-14 hours
Pre-schoolers (3-5): 10-13 hours
School age (6-13): 9-11 hours
Teenagers (14-17): 8-10 hours
Younger adults (18-25): 7-9 hours
Adults (26-64): 7-9 hours
Older adults (65+): 7-8 hours

NOT GETTING ENOUGH?
You are not alone. Inadequate sleep is a regular problem for 40% of all Australians.

HERE’S WHY YOU NEED IT!

🧠 Brain
Cerebral spinal fluid is pumped more quickly throughout the brain while you sleep. It acts like a dishwasher, whisking away waste products that brain cells make. So you wake up with, quite literally, a clean slate.

❤️ Heart
One body part that gets a break during sleep is your heart. Your ticker works hard during the day, so at night during non-REM sleep it takes some pressure off itself by reducing heart rate, as well as blood pressure.

🌬 Lungs
When you’re awake, your breathing patterns vary greatly. You’ll breathe faster when excited and harder while exercising, for example. But during sleep, your breathing slows down and becomes very regular.

💪 Muscles
While you sleep, your body releases growth hormones that work to rebuild muscles and joints. The more sleep you get, the better equipped your body will be to repair itself.

🥕 Stomach
Certain foods contain an amino acid called tryptophan that causes sleepiness. Carbohydrates containing B vitamins and magnesium make tryptophan more available to the brain, which is why carbohydrate-heavy meals can make you drowsy and also why carbs with your evening meal is a good thing.

15/04/2020

N95 FACE MASKS HAVE ARRIVED - ON THE WATING LIST?

😷 Please come in and collect your masks

We are phoning our way through the list but it may take some time. Thank you for your patience.

To our customers who have not ordered face masks but would like them...

We have just received a limited supply of N95 masks (not those pictured 😉) for adults (would also fit older children) These masks do protect the wearer from droplet transmission as well as the general public from the wearer.

There is a limit of 2 per person. As always...

masks must be correctly fitted to be effective,
face touching must be avoided,
masks need to be taken off carefully and hands washed
hands need to be regularly washed and the
1.5m distancing respected.

15/04/2020

Your questions on influenza vaccines answered. Does it work? Who is entitled? Where can I get the vaccination?

DOES THE FLU VACCINE PROTECT AGAINST COVID-19?

NO. it will protect you against influenza and help reduce the severity and spread of influenza this winter, which may reduce the load on your immune system.

CAN ANYONE GET THE FLU VACCINE?
Assuming there are enough supplies, YES at a cost. The following people are entitled to free vaccines due to higher risk of complications from influenza:

all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and over
all children aged 6 months to less than 5 years of age (including Aboriginal and medically at risk)
all individuals aged 5 years and over with medical risk conditions, namely:
cardiac disease, including cyanotic congenital heart disease, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure
chronic respiratory conditions, including suppurative lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and severe asthma
other chronic illnesses requiring regular medical follow up or hospitalisation in the previous year, including diabetes mellitus, chronic metabolic diseases, chronic renal failure, and haemoglobinopathies
chronic neurological conditions that impact on respiratory function, including multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, and seizure disorders
impaired immunity, including HIV, malignancy and chronic steroid use
children aged 6 months to 10 years on long term aspirin therapy
pregnant women (influenza vaccine can be given at any stage of pregnancy)
people aged 65 years and over (vaccine that is specifically designed to produce a higher immune response is available for this group).

WHERE CAN I GET THE FLU VACCINE?
- FREE (to the people listed above) from your local GP
- Call to make an appointment before going in
- Local medical centres are still open and a VERY safe location for your flu vaccine.

- PAID (if you are not on the above list) again from your local GP.
- Local Pharmacy (again, call ahead to make an appointment to secure a vaccine.)

Greenwich Village Pharmacy has already vaccinated around 100 patients. However, due to unprecedented demand we may not receive all of the vaccines we need.

Due to this we highly recommend that if you are in an at risk group and you would like to get vaccinated that you call your local GP to make an appointment

YOU ARE WELCOME TO RING US TO BE PUT ON OUR WAITING LIST, BUT WE CAN NOT GUARANTEE THAT WE WILL RECEIVE ENOUGH VACCINES THIS YEAR TO MEET DEMAND. THEREFORE WE RECOMMEND YOU PHONE AROUND AND ADD YOURSELF TO A FEW WAITING LISTS IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE VACCINE.

Does the influenza vaccine work?
Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. The influenza vaccine has been shown to be effective in preventing illness in about 50-60% of healthy adults under the age of 65 years. This can vary by year, the person’s age and underlying medical conditions. It takes about 2 weeks for the vaccine to become effective and protect the individual against influenza. By vaccinating yourself against influenza you are not only protecting yourself, but everyone around you.

Why is it necessary to receive another dose of the influenza vaccine each year?
Each year the strains of the influenza virus which are predicted to affect Australians are reviewed and the available vaccines may be changed according to the strains. The protection provided by influenza vaccines can begin to wane after a few months so children and adults need to be re-vaccinated each year before winter.

Can influenza vaccines cause the influenza?
There is no live virus in the influenza shot, so you cannot get influenza from the vaccine. The myth that the vaccine causes influenza probably results from a misinterpretation of mild vaccine side effects, which are a sign that the body is responding to the vaccine and producing protection against the actual disease for when you may come into contact with it.

Is the influenza vaccine safe?
As with any medications, vaccines can have side effects. The most common side effects following influenza vaccination include mild fever, headache, muscle and joint pain and injection site reactions. These can occur in the first three days after vaccination and can generally be managed safely at home. Talk with your immunisation provider about what to expect.

Serious side effects are rare. In Australia, we have AusVaxSafety, which monitors the safety of vaccines including seasonal influenza vaccines. This system uses a short SMS survey to ask patients, or parents of children, in a large number of general practices around Australia, if they experienced any health issues in the first few days after vaccination. In 2019, 93.9% of people that participated in the survey reported no adverse events following immunisation. Of the 6.1% of people that reported an adverse event the majority were generally mild and short lived. You can visit the AusVaxSafety website for further information.

14/04/2020

Dear Mystery Artist - You've made our day -This morning we were greeted with this lovely colourful message from someone in our community - THANK YOU!!! 🙏❤️😊

09/04/2020

From all of us at Greenwich Village Pharmacy
To all of you in our community,

We thank you for your support and understanding when we could not serve you as fast as we would have liked and for when we could not get the medication or pharmaceuticals that you wanted quickly.

Your kindness and patience during what have been difficult times for all have meant a lot to our staff.

Wishing you all a safe and happy Easter from us all at Greenwich Village Pharmacy.

08/04/2020

HAND HYGIENE - what's best practise?

We've noticed quite a bit of discussion around hand hygiene and specifically hand sanitiser (HS) on various social media channels and thought we would share what we believe to be best practise based on Government Guidelines and those of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and this is the advise we are giving our customers.

WHEN AT HOME:
Wash your hands with hard or liquid soap and warm water for 20 seconds, making sure you get into all of the creases and crevices. The soap does not need to be anti-bacterial. The soap itself breaks down the lipid (fat) layer of the virus and destroys it.

Wash as soon as you return home from being outside and before you touch anything else.
Wash before you prepare food.
Wash after you blow your nose or sneeze into your hand.
Wash after you go to the toilet.

MOISTURISE:
We are seeing a lot more eczema due to HS which is very distressing. It is important to try to protect hands from chaffing as the skin is an important immune barrier.

We are recommending moisturising only after washing hands at home and best overnight so as not to dilute alcohol in HS and therefore reducing efficacy of HS.

We have some lovely products including:
- L'occitane 100% shea butter
- Weleda Weather protection and
- Weleda skin food

If your eczema is hard to manage, perhaps wearing gloves when outside (and still using hand sanitiser) could be worth exploring. You are welcome to ask our Pharmacists for more individual advice.

WHEN OUTSIDE AND AWAY FROM YOUR CLEAN HOME:
- Carry alcohol based hand sanitiser with you
- To be effective at killing germs, hand sanitisers must contain an alcohol concentration of 70–95%
- It is the alcohol in the HS that destroys the lipid layer of the virus.
- Try not to touch anything (yes hard when grocery shopping)

Due to the COVID surge in demand for hand sanitiser, there are hand sanitisers on the market that contain less than 70% alcohol.

These products are now classified as cosmetic products not therapeutic products by the TGA. read more here https://www.tga.gov.au/hand-sanitisers-and-covid-19

The TGA has obviously recognised that when 70% alcohol hand sanitisers are not available, people still need to use something when they are out and about.

We do still have hand sanitiser in stock and unfortunately it is not as cheap as we would like it to be but there is a worldwide shortage. We think prices will start to come down as more businesses start producing.

An A330 Airbus flew to China today to bring back hand sanitiser and other PPE. Many local businesses are now making hand sanitiser.

https://www.choice.com.au/health-and-body/beauty-and-personal-care/skin-care-and-cosmetics/articles/should-you-make-your-own-hand-sanitiser

Information for sponsors, manufactures and consumers on the appropriate use of hand sanitisers, how they are regulated in Australia and how to supply them

07/04/2020

Chelsea Parkes has created some double layer cotton face masks which are now available at Greenwich Village Pharmacy.

These masks are not for use in the presence of someone with a known case of COVID-19. These masks are for general outside use eg exercise and Grocery shopping, visiting Physio etc and may help limit contact with droplet transmission that results from breathing, speaking, laughing etc.

Mask construction
- Double layer 100% cotton.
- Insulated with tightly compacted non-woven, synthetic microfibre (same fibre and fabric composition used in medical masks).
- Fitted with malleable wire on nose bridge to mould to variety of face shapes.
- Elastic fastening for comfortable fit.

Chelsea, like many Australians, has lost her job and has turned to making hand-made masks in order to save to study fashion at the London University of the Arts.

07/04/2020

FACE MASKS: TO WEAR OR NOT TO WEAR?

There are currently 2 divergent camps, providing advice on whether the general public should or should not wear masks in the times of COVID-19.

I have done a review of the literature on the pros and cons of wearing face masks and present you with a summary so you can make up your own mind. (Information correct as at 7 April 2020 - there are rumours of a WHO review on Friday but I can't see anything on their website and it is Good Friday so I am sceptical.)

The current World Health Organisation (WHO) expert panel’s advice is for healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients to wear respirators in the first instance and if these are not available, medical masks.

For home carers and those in contact with COVID-19 patients, masks are recommended. Healthy people are not being told to wear masks BUT with the high number of asymptomatic and pre-symptomatic people in the community, the case is not open and shut.

Additionally, many countries’ Centres for Disease Control have started recommendING the wearing of masks when out in public and social distancing may be difficult. Countries include but are not limited to China, Italy and the US.

REASONS TO wear a face mask.

😷 When humans SPEAK, streams of droplets enter the air and can travel up to 2 metres (hence the 2 metre rule in most countries but only 1.5metre rule in Australia.)
😷When humans LAUGH, COUGH, SNEEZE, SHOUT, BREATHE HEAVILY whilst exercising, droplets can travel up to 6 metres.
😷Face masks are widely used by medical workers as part of droplet precautions when caring for patients with respiratory infections.
😷The WHO and All agencies recommend that symptomatic persons or those who come into contact with symptomatic persons and the elderly and the vulnerable wear masks when in public ...if supplies permit.
😷Given the rate of asymptomatic/ presymptomatic infection in the community may be as high as 25%, wearing a mask could protect others from the respiratory droplets of those who are unknowingly infected and slow community transmission.

REASONS NOT TO wear a face mask.

- Some authorities are concerned about the shortage of PPE including masks for vulnerable frontline medical and essential services personnel so discourage the use of surgical and medical masks.
- Some people do not know how to fit, wear and manage their masks properly. For example, masks must be removed and discarded or if cotton, washed before re-use. Hands must be washed with soap and water for 20 seconds or hand sanitiser after masks have been removed and dealt with.
- Authorities are concerned that wearing a mask incorrectly might make people touch their faces more regularly.
- Authorities are worried that the wearing of masks might make people complacent about

WHAT TO DO?
1. Stay at home when you can.
2. Practise frequent hand hygiene, washing with soap and water for 20 seconds or a professionally made hand sanitiser.
3. Practise correct respiratory etiquette.
4. Observe social distancing rules and keep 1.5m away from others at all times (especially when exercising - you might not have it but the person you are passing might.)
5. Wear a mask if you suspect you are infected and must go out.
6. Wear a mask if you are vulnerable, elderly or immunocompromised and must go out.
7. Wear a mask if you are caring for an infected person.
8. Regularly clean all surfaces with professionally made sanitising sprays.

06/04/2020

We are still well stocked with Hand sanitiser gel and spray, Ventolin and Kids liquid Paracetamol. Armaforce is running out the door faster than we can fill the shelves but we still have the generic brand which offers the added immunity boosting benefits of Vitamins A and D.

Please call us for delivery if you would prefer to stay at home. Stay safe.

02/04/2020

Fabulous news...
We have LOTS of hand sanitiser in store now.
We have made our own hand sanitising spray with 72% ethanol AND we have hand sanitising gel - also proudly made in Australia. Stay safe and please take advantage of our home delivery service. Stay safe.

In stock today...
Children's Panadol 5-12, in stock
Children's Panadol 1-5, in stock
Children's chewable Panadol - in stock
Tissues, coming soon
Hand sanitiser - LOTS in stock
Face masks, Coming...
Junior Armaforce i- n stock
Bioceuticals Armaforce - coming soon
Armaforce, Generic brand with vitamins A and D - in stock
Ventolin, in stock
Thermometers, Out of stock

31/03/2020

We are very happy to let you know that we now have good supplies of kids' Panadol, Ventolin and Armaforce (immunity booster) Please call if you would like anything put aside or delivered. Have a lovely day and stay safe. PS a cute shadow drawing project for the littlies ...