As a severe ice storm threatens to wreak havoc on metro Atlanta this weekend, pharmacists are urging residents to act now to avoid running out of critical medications if roads become unsafe. 

Dr. Clementine Nanje, a local pharmacist at Trinity Pharmacy on Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, said preparation and planning can make a big difference, especially for people who rely on daily prescriptions. 

"Look at your medication and see what you're missing and call your pharmacy and see how soon they can do it," Dr. Nanje said. "Usually, we fill the prescription when it's due. In an emergency, we can do it a day or two early. The insurance allows us to do that to accommodate the patient."

Dr. Nanje said early refills are often possible ahead of severe weather, and she encouraged patients not to wait until the last minute when conditions worsen. 

In addition to early refills, some pharmacies like the Trinity Pharmacy offer delivery services, which Dr. Nanje said can help people stay safe at home during severe weather, such as ice storms.

"In my case, we do deliveries, so we do extra deliveries when we're having storms," she said. "That way we can accommodate patients and try to make sure that you have the medication to takeat least a couple of days."

She said she's well aware that winter storms present challenges but said her customer's care remains a priority.

"We try our best. We try to stay safe, but we do try to go the extra mile to make sure patients have their medication" Dr. Nanje said.

Dr. Nanje advised people in the community to avoid unnecessary travel during dangerous weather, especially if a medication is not urgently needed. "Just stay indoors," she said. "If it's not an emergency, if it's some medication that you can go without, it's okay. You don't have to get out of the house. Talk to your pharmacist." She said her pharmacy saw an increase in demand Tuesday as people prepared for the storm.

"I noticed we've had a lot of calls today, a lot of calls," she said. "Also the doctors have sent a lot of medications in today, more than usual. So maybe it's in preparation for the storm." Dr. Nanje said she's adjusting schedules and delivery plans to meet needs ahead of the expected weather.

"I was supposed to be off tomorrow, but I'm making plans to come here and make sure we really get as many medications out as we can by tomorrow," she said.

Nanje recommended checking prescriptions now, contacting pharmacies early, and using delivery options when available to stay safe and prepared before the severe ice storm arrives.