Looking for hand sanitizer in Raleigh? Good luck. Shoppers are prepping for coronavirus.
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News of COVID-19 virus deaths in the United States and the first reported case in North Carolina is putting an old Scout mantra in the minds of Triangle residents: Be prepared.
In addition to washing your hands often, avoiding crowds and coughing or sneezing into your elbow, many are stocking up on food and other household items in the event that COVID-19, which is short for coronavirus, prompts a call for home quarantine.
Before a pandemic (on March 11 the World Health Organization declared this to be a pandemic) the US Department of Homeland Security recommends having a two-week supply of food, water and medications. (Some of the same safety precautions are recommended ahead of weather emergencies, such as hurricanes.)
At area grocery and big box stores in recent days, bottled water, toilet paper and cleaning supplies are big sellers. Hand sanitizer was out of stock at every grocery store we visited on Monday, though store employees said they should be able to restock.
And we’re way past the point of even asking about face masks (which experts say are only needed by health care professionals and those who are already sick).
A demand for cleaning supplies
On Sunday, a manager at the Wegmans grocery store on Wake Forest Road in Raleigh noted an uptick in the purchase of items such as sanitizers, Lysol wipes and paper towels.
“We’ve definitely seen an increase,” said Adam Woloszyn, Wegmans perishable area manager. The increase has been seen over the past week, he said. “It seems people are just trying to keep their homes as clean as possible.”
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Down the street at Walmart on Monday afternoon, customer service manager Suzanne Surles said the store was sold out of hand sanitizer and face masks and that it was also selling a lot of bottled water. Surles couldn’t say the purpose behind the shopping, but said, “it has been much busier than usual the past few days.”
At Harris Teeter in North Raleigh, a manager declined to comment about sales on the record, but a sign on the soap aisle advised shoppers that the store was “currently out of stock on facial masks and hand sanitizer.” The store had plenty of toilet paper, but the bottled water aisle was depleted.
Nick Adams of Raleigh, shopping in the Harris Teeter on Falls of Neuse Road on Monday, had large packages of toilet paper and bottled water in his cart, but said he was just doing his normal shopping. Still, he said, he’s thought about the need to stock up.
“I’m not going to go ‘full prepper’, but it’s a good idea to get a few weeks ahead,” he said. For him, it’s more about adjusting to other people’s reactions than about any fear of the virus, Adams said.
There was no toilet paper at the Costco in Raleigh on Monday — at least not the kind people are accustomed to buying for use at home. The only toilet paper to be found on Monday came in jumbo rolls — 5,400 feet of it — typically used in public restrooms. Around the corner, employees were stocking large pallets of Cottonelle Flushable Wipes (prayers for the Raleigh sewer system).
A Food Lion store at the intersection of Falls of Neuse and Strickland Road was also sold out of hand sanitizer on Monday, but appeared to be well-stocked on other items.
What supplies do you need?
▪ The Department of Homeland Security has recommendations for what to do to prepare for a pandemic: ready.gov/pandemic
▪ The website ThePrepared.com has a comprehensive list of how to prepare for a possible coronavirus outbreak and what supplies to have on hand: theprepared.com/wuhan-coronavirus
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
The coronavirus is spreading in the United States. Officials are urging people to take precautions to avoid getting sick, and to avoid spreading the disease if they do contract it.
Click the drop-down icon on this card for more on the virus and what you should do to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an infection of the respiratory system similar to the flu. Coronaviruses are a class of viruses that regularly cause illnesses among adults and children, but this outbreak has spawned a new disease called COVID-19, a particularly harsh respiratory condition that can lead to death.
Health officials believe COVID-19 spread from animals to humans somewhere in China. It spreads among humans by physical person-to-person contact, including via coughs. That’s why health officials urge sick individuals to avoid contact with other people.
For more information, visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to the flu and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
How can I stop the spread of the coronavirus?
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you develop symptoms similar to the coronavirus, you should seek medical attention. Stay home from work or school and avoid contact with others. It can take up to 14 days after coming into contact with the virus to develop symptoms.
COVID-19 is a new condition and there’s much about the disease we still don’t understand. For now, taking precautions is the best way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
This story was originally published March 4, 2020 at 8:00 AM.