Paracetamol shortages - where to get it

[PawPawNoodle]

This isn't a stockpiling or panic thread, nor is it strictly related to COVID-19! This is an issue that has the potential to affect basically anyone who needs to take paracetamol, so I thought it deserved a thread. A family member of mine is unable to take Ibuprofen and relies on paracetamol when he is in pain, for example.

From what I understand there is the potential for a paracetamol shortage following the limitation of exports from India; this is as a result of China's production being reduced due to their lockdown BBC link from earlier this month. I would say that the Indian government has assured that there's enough stock to last three months...!

I've seen this in action myself; my shop-owner friends don't have it and cannot source it from suppliers(East London), my friend in Watford couldn't find any either. I managed to get two packs of Anadin in a Shell petrol station however I've not seen it in any of the supermarkets, corner shop or independent pharmacies around me.

If you notice any places that have supplies, maybe you could post below for the benefit of other users? I'm not sure how far this has reached nationally nor whether it'll be an ongoing issue, but I'm a bit surprised it isn't being talked about!

So to start, where I found it is the Old Ford road Shell petrol station in Hackney.

A shit ton of it in our empty shelved Sainsburys- seems a bit hit and miss?

Im in Glasgow and have found that its the small local shops that have the best stock levels at the moment. Everyone is flapping around supermarkets and forgetting that the local Keystore/Day-Today etc is basically deserted. You may pay a little more than supermarkets but they have the necessities and you'e helping to keep a small business going.

I couldn't buy paracetamol today but i did manage to buy Lemsip Cold & Flu tablets in Asda and they have the same amount of paracetamol (500mg) in each tablet. My mum is another one who can't take Ibuprofen.

There was loads in our local one stop last night. I think little shops rather than supermarkets are the way forward!

On the German news theyre saying not to use paracetamol if there's a chance your fever or headache is corona related. They've said paracetamol use has corrolated with poorer outcomes in confirmed cases. Even on the news theyre saying its correlation not causation and the information is too new to have been properly analysed yet.

There was loads in Superdrug yesterday...

anothernotherone the advice is actually to avoid ibuprofen.

Paracetamol is recommended.

Poundland has loads, 3 boxes for £1.

On the German news theyre saying not to use paracetamol if there's a chance your fever or headache is corona related. They've said paracetamol use has corrolated with poorer outcomes in confirmed cases

Here they have said that about ibuprofen and that you should take paracetamol

Managed to get a pack in Asda by chance as they were being restocked. Can't find any Calpol anywhere though, went to about 6 shops yesterday.

WHO have withdrawn their advice not to take ibuprofen.

The advice on ibuprofen seems to change all the time. At the start of my journey to pick DS1 up from Uni on Tuesday it was bad, by the time we got home it was OK and then by the evening it was bad again.

Paracetamol availability seems to be very hit and miss where I am. Shops either have none or they have plenty. It’s just a case of looking in a few places, here at least.

I ordered from boots online