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A product containing ivermectin currently in stock at Ukiah’s Rainbow Ag. [All photos by Matt LaFever]
Ivermectin, a drug used in humans to treat parasitic infestations and in equines to deworm, has received increased attention in the COVID-19 era as an alternative treatment to the virus. Federal, state and local health entities decried the treatment warning of dangerous complications while vaccine and pharmaceutical industry skeptics hailed it.
Regardless of the effectiveness of ivermectin in treating symptoms of COVID-19, the phenomenon has taken hold in Mendocino and Humboldt counties, with major farm supply stores reporting increased purchases, potential shortages and fearing that the public interest in the drug does not lead to it. pulled from the shelves of agricultural stores preventing backyard herders from tending to their livestock.
Ukiah’s Rainbow Ag cattle saleswoman Lory McAsey told us that over the past two weeks, store workers have answered at least half a dozen calls a day to find out if the dough is ivermectin was in stock.
McAsey explained that customers who come to Rainbow Ag for horse / animal breeding know what ivermectin is and what it is used for. In contrast, customers who buy the product use different ‘verbiage’, as McAsey put it, and she will actively try to explain the purpose of the product and the reality that the form of ivermectin sold in stores from farm supplies were formulated for the consumption of horses, rather than humans.
Rainbow Ag from Ukiah posted this sign to warn customers to avoid using their products containing ivermectin for human consumption
Another telltale sign that a customer is interested in ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19 rather than equine use is when they request ivermectin tablets, McAsey told us.
She described standing in the aisle of the store, trying to talk a customer away from buying it, when “I had three people in front of me grabbing the product.”
Rainbow Ag has posted signs on the shelves warning customers of the potential dangers of using a form of ivermectin formulated for horse consumption and McAsey said she will work actively to deter customers from buying it.
Most customers will not disclose the intended use of the product, McAsey explained. She remembered a mother and her daughter walking into the store, buying the product and hearing the daughter ask her mother as she left, “So, Mom, are we sick. The mother reportedly replied, “We are not sick yet. It’s just in case.
McAsey explained the importance of ivermectin and deworming products in the world of equine care. She described these drugs as being essential for taking care of horses and there was a standard of three different chemicals used for deworming. Horse owners will alternate these three treatments, approximately one every two months, as constant use of a treatment builds tolerance and they must be repeated to remain effective.
Rainbow Ag customers have started contacting McAsey and management by reporting content on social media promoting ivermectin as an alternative treatment for COVID-19 and expecting product execution. McAsey said at this point they were “out of product”.
With this ivermectin race, McAsey has expressed concern that he will not have IverCare, a specific brand of horse dewormer paste favored by breeding practitioners, until December or January.
Ultimately, McAsey fears these trends could lead to guidelines from the state of California to remove ivermectin from their shelves requiring a veterinarian’s prescription to access the drug. Cattle owners have a long history of practicing what McAsey has called “backyard animal husbandry” by approaching the health care of their animals with a do-it-yourself mentality, hence the availability of these types of drugs in the world. farm supply stores. If ivermectin were to be taken off the shelves, McAsey expressed concern about the financial burden of finding a veterinarian for the drugs.
An employee of Redway Feed and Garden Supply said he has also seen an increase in sales of products containing ivermectin. The employee told us that the store has seen an influx of calls regarding their stock of drugs.
Most of these customers actually request a liquid form of Ivermectin, perhaps similar to this product, but when told that Redway Feed and Garden Supply exclusively carries the paste form of the product, customers “don’t seem interested. by this”.
Nathan Nilsen, fifth-generation co-owner of agricultural supply company Eureka Nilsen Company, said it was currently difficult to secure a supply of ivermectin due to increased demand.
Nilsen recounted speaking with a customer who was purchasing the product asking, “Is this for a horse? The customer simply replied, “No, it’s for me.” “
Regarding the concerns of customers ingesting the ivermectin products sold in his store, Nilsen said, “This is a paste designed for horses, not humans. Only 1.2% of the tube is ivermectin. These are the other ingredients that could get you in trouble.
Mendocino County Public Health Officer Dr Andy Coren spoke about the rise of ivermectin and the medical issues associated with its use to treat COVID-19.
Providing the current medical understanding of ivermectin, Dr Coren explained that the drug is used for its antiparasitic properties in humans and used in the veterinary field for deworming. He added that when used to treat humans, ivermectin is often a drug of last resort due to a significant amount of risks associated with its use.
Common side effects of ivermectin, said Dr Coren, are “rash, itching, fever, swollen glands, headache, muscle pain, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, conjunctivitis and inflammation of the eyes ”. The most serious and rare side effects include “hepatitis, bleeding in the eyes, loss of vision, asthma, a skin reaction in which the skin dies, an internal allergic reaction, Steve Johnson syndrome , rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure and seizures ”.
Regarding the increase in ivermectin in the COVID-19 era, Dr Coren said the drug was sought “out of fear”. He went on to say that ivermectin users “are afraid of COVID, but they are more afraid of the vaccine and they want some protection against COVID.”
Another horse dewormer drug containing ivermectin is available from Rainbow Ag.
At the root of this push for alternative treatments for COVID-19 is a culture of internet research and politicized news media that fuels distrust of institutions like the Federal Drug Administration and the Center for Disease. Control.
He said the risks assumed by ivermectin users “far exceed the risks associated with vaccines.”
With the exception of the “misinformation and misinformation” claims, Dr Coren said there was no medical evidence that ivermectin was beneficial in the treatment of COVID-19 or in its use as a prophylactic against the virus.
Dr Coren acknowledged that pharmaceutical companies have historically “pushed things they shouldn’t be pushing” and behaved in ways that would diminish public trust. That being said, he argued that supporters of ivermectin and other alternative medicines are using this suspicion to sideline the entire FDA, which he says “plays a vital role in protecting citizens.”
“The effective drug against COVID is vaccination,” said Dr Coren, and “the side effects of ivermectin bleach are extremely high.”
For those who claim the FDA is speeding up COVID-19 vaccinations without ensuring their safety, Dr Coren reminded the public that the agency has “taken a long time to make a decision on vaccinations and reminders for children »Gathering research and data to inform their directions. He also said the FDA was not initially accepting Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine and was gathering more data and research ahead of emergency approval.
Dr Coren’s ultimate recommendation was that anyone wishing to protect themselves from the complications of COVID-19 get vaccinated: “The only way to avoid this disease is
vaccination. It worked with chickenpox, diphtheria, and tetanus. The COVID-19 vaccine is more effective and safer than any vaccine in history. “
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