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Poles reach for pills and potions to stay calm amid pandemic

10.12.2020 07:40
Sales of non-prescription sedatives have shot up by some 30 percent this year in Poland amid the coronavirus epidemic, according to a report.  
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay Pixabay licence

Meanwhile, sales of prescription-only antidepressants increased by over 5.5% this year, public broadcaster Polish Radio's IAR news agency reported.

"People first usually look for help off their own bat, which would explain the greater increase in the sale of over-the-counter medicines,” Prof. Piotr Gałecki, a consultant in psychiatry, was quoted by the agency as saying.

He added that psychiatrists have observed a rise in anxiety and depressive disorders.

Poland on Wednesday reported 12,168 new coronavirus infections and 568 more deaths, bringing its total number of cases to 1,088,346 and fatalities to 21,160.

On November 7 the Polish health ministry reported 27,875 new single-day cases, the most since the pandemic hit the country in early March.

(pk)

Source: IAR