Drug for horses and sheep being bought up across Vancouver Island by people who think it will treat COVID-19
Ivermectin is a drug bought off-the-shelf at many animal feed retail stores. It’s used as a dewormer in horses and sheep, but lately it can't be found on many shelves across Vancouver Island because people have been buying it up, thinking it can treat COVID-19.
Kelvin McCulloch is the Chief Executive Officer of Buckerfield’s. He’s looking at an empty cabinet where his staff used to stock the deworming drug.
“So here, the spaces where Ivermectin would typically be is all empty,” said McCulloch.
That’s because people have been coming into Buckerfield’s in Duncan and eight other locations across the province, buying it up in droves.
“In a sense, this is astonishing because this is a product to kill parasites in the intestines of large animals,” said McCulloch. “I don’t know how that can possibly pertain to a virus like COVID.”
Buckerfield’s has posted signs on its ivermectin cabinets and has instructed staff to tell people that it’s for veterinary use only. In many cases, those that believe in the falsehood that the drug is a cure for COVID-19 have been taking their frustrations out on staff.
“Our staff don’t know what to do about that and they don’t need to be harassed,” said McCulloch.
Dr. Brian Conway of the Vancouver Infectious Disease Centre says he is saddened by this new phenomenon.
“It breaks my heart,” said Conway. “I think what this is showing us is that people are becoming more and more desperate for COVID to end and are willing to do almost anything, even it is untried, proven ineffective or even dangerous.”
“We need to be vaccinated,” he added.
According to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, between March 1 and Aug. 30, nine cases were reported to B.C.’s Drug and Poison Information Centre of people ingesting ivermectin and becoming ill after taking the drug.
On Tuesday, Health Canada issued a statement warning Canadians not to consume the veterinary drug, saying there is no evidence ivermectin is safe for human consumption. Still, some believe it is the COVID solution, like one woman CTV News spoke with at a rally against mandatory vaccination in Victoria on Wednesday.
“Why is it being banned?” she asked. “Why are we not getting treatment out to people?”
Ivermectin is actually not being banned, but the fact that so many people are buying it as a COVID-19 drug has those who care for animals that actually need it concerned.
“I am nervous,” said Donna Friedlander, president of Tally-Ho Carriage Tours.
“If we don’t have access to the drugs that we need to keep our horses healthy, that’s a big problem.”
Back at Buckerfield’s a shortage is being felt and it’s expected to last for the foreseeable future.
“We’re having trouble ordering it,” said McCulloch. “We think it’s oversold right back to the supplier and the manufacturer, so we’re getting short quantities on our orders and as soon as we get quantities in, it’s gone again.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.