Thursday May 2, 2024 | COLWOOD, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
After five days of London Drugs stores being closed while the retail chain dealt with a cybersecurity attack on its IT systems, the pharmacy and retail chain has issued another update on May 2.
The phone lines reopened yesterday but the 80 stores remain closed. People can get existing prescriptions refilled but without a computer system in place new prescriptions cannot be registered and filled. Pharmacists are available in-store.
Canada Post offices within the stores are open. Completed photo print-out orders can be picked up in-store.
Statement from London Drugs [May 2, 2024 – last update 1:52 pm PDT]
“London Drugs continues to work with leading third-party cybersecurity experts to bring operations back online in a safe and secure manner. The impact of the incident on operations has been significant, and the restoration process is rigorous. There are billions of lines of data and code to review.
“Our teams have been working around the clock and we are seeing progress in our restoration.
“Our priority is to ensure we bring our operations and services back up in a secure, systematic way, so that we can offer to our customers the level of care they expect from London Drugs. The health and wellbeing of our patients is always our top priority.
“At this point in our investigation, there is no evidence of any customer databases being compromised, including our pharmacy patients and LDExtras members. In the event our investigation determines that personal information was impacted, we will notify affected individuals in accordance with privacy laws.
“What is open:
• London Drugs Pharmacists remain on-site at all store locations to assist with emergency prescriptions and other urgent care.
• Canada Post locations within stores are accessible.
• Insurance Services Call Centre is open and helping customers with insurance needs.
“London Drugs is also working closely with third party information providers, for example provincial health systems, and ensuring we are reconnecting with their systems as per their protocols. Each third-party information provider has different requirements, which are complex and time consuming.
“As London Drugs phone lines are now operational, customers are advised to contact their local store or Pharmacy. London Drugs’ Customer Care is also available at 1-888-991-2299.
“If needs are urgent, customers should visit their local store in-person during regular business hours for immediate support.
“Operational updates will be provided at https://londondrugs.com/news-and-events/news-and-events.html… as well as on social media channels.
Customer impacts:
Customers who have needed pharmacy services have been prioritized during the store closures..
Customers also rely on London Drugs as a sort of local department store with an eclectic range of offerings including computer and tech, housewares, snacks, greeting cards, cosmetics and more.
Part of the retail landscape:
What has become today’s chain of stores across BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, started with the first London Drugs store in 1945 as a 1,000-square-foot community drugstore on Main Street in Vancouver.
Today the stores in the London Drugs chain carry a wide range of retail products and services in addition to pharmacy that seem to maintain a down-home ‘shop for the basics’ atmosphere.
===== RELATED:
London Drugs phone lines re-open after 4-day cybersecurity challenge but stores still closed (May 1, 2024)
London Drugs stores unexpectedly closed Sunday April 28 (April 28 & 29, 2024)