Coronavirus anxiety makes masks a limited commodity
No confirmed cases in state yet, but officials warn residents to take precautions if symptoms appear
Although Connecticut does not have a confirmed case of coronavirus, the state’s hardware stores and national chains are quickly selling out of face masks as fears about the virus amplify.
“I think we’re almost out of face masks,” said Bob Krieger, the owner of Katz Ace Hardware in Glastonbury on Friday. “Last night I tried to go onto Amazon to buy more to sell more and they were sold out.”
As of Friday afternoon, 213 people in mainland China had died of coronavirus, in addition to
more than 9,709 cases confirmed there and 6 cases confirmed in the United States. The World Health Organization recently declared the virus a global health emergency, but the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not currently recommend that Americans wear face masks in public. Nevertheless, demand for respirators continues to climb across the country and in Connecticut.
The CDC says the best preventative measures include washing hands and covering coughs. People who have recently visited China and who feel sick with a fever and cough should seek medical care immediately.
Krieger estimates that his store has sold more than 400 masks in the past week. As customers continue to buy multiple packs of face masks, he is waiting for his warehouse to replenish his stock.
“I’ve never seen it happen — not even with SARS,” he said, referring to severe acute respiratory syndrome, a deadly virus which killed at least 774 people during a 2003 outbreak.
As of Friday afternoon, there were no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Connecticut and no patients under investigation for the virus. Governor Ned Lamont announced Friday that coronavirus test results came back negative for a high school student from China participating in a conference at Yale University. Earlier in the week, a Wesleyan University student also tested negative for the virus. Both patients tested positive for Influenza Type A.
“We continue to be vigilant and coordinate a proactive response with local health and medical providers across the state,” state Department of Public Health commissioner Renée Coleman Mitchell said in a statement Friday. “We are also in the height of flu season and we recommend residents take extra precautions to avoid spreading the flu.”
Since the beginning of the 2019-2020 season, a total of 1,036 influenza-associated hospitalizations and 23 influenza-associated deaths have been reported in Connecticut.
“We ask that people not panic, but take possible symptoms seriously,” Lamont said in the statement. “The CDC is advising that many of the symptoms reflect those that we usually see when someone has the flu. If you experience any of these symptoms, please get treated sooner rather than later.”
Coronavirus symptoms include a runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat, fever, and a general feeling of being unwell, according to the CDC. Symptoms may appear between two to fourteen days after exposure. No vaccine or specific treatment for the infection is available but the CDC recommends preventative actions including frequent hand-washing, avoiding touching one’s eyes, nose and mouth, and avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
Nationwide, the Home Depot has seen an increased demand for face masks and instituted a limit on customer purchases of face masks this week, according to Margaret Smith, a spokesperson for the company.
“Our supply chains are working to replenish the supply as quickly as possible,” she said.
At Larsen Ace Hardware in West Hartford, warehouses are on back order for face masks, according to Dan Welch, an assistant manager.
“We’ve had a very increased volume in sales. I think a lot of people are concerned,” he said.
The store has sold at least four 10-packs of respirators and several two-packs in the past week, a significant jump in sales, Welch said. He added that he knows of one person buying respirators for friends and family in China and another stocking up in anticipation of travel to the region in the next few weeks.
“It’s like right before a storm when everyone rushes to the store for milk, bread and eggs because they’re worried,” he said.
In Glastonbury, Krieger said he expects his supply of face masks to last no longer than Saturday afternoon. He hopes to have more by Monday, he said, but he fears what is to come.
“That’s the scary thing: We don’t know where it’s going,” he said. “It’s just accelerating so fast.”