MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Health officials are encouraging everyone to take the proper safety precautions now to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The CDC said practicing good hygiene, such as washing your hands and keeping all surfaces clean, is the perfect start.
But grocery and drug stores across the Mid-South are reportedly running out of cleaning supplies in the midst of a possible coronavirus outbreak.
WREG went to several stores like Kroger, CVS and Walgreens, and it was the same thing. Shelves meant to house personal cleaning supplies, such as hand soap and hand sanitizer, are cleaned out.
Doctors said there are alternatives many of us already have sitting on our shelves at home.
In this cellphone video sent to WREG of an East Memphis Kroger, the shelves are cleared of cleaning supplies.
All that’s left is a sign saying, “Due to the high demand and to support all customers, we will be limiting the number of sanitization, cold and flu-related products to five each per customer.”
“This Kroger is completely out of all hand sanitizer,” Blair Perry said. “They’re getting very low on soap and Clorox wipes and Clorox cleaning products.”
Kroger isn’t the only store running low on supplies. Many local Walgreens and CVS stores have shelves that are also wiped clean.
CVS released a statement saying:
We are working with our suppliers to meet customer demand for these products. This demand may cause temporary shortages of certain products at some store locations and we re-supply those stores as quickly as possible.
Statement from CVS
Walgreens also released a statement on Tuesday saying:
We’re continuing to see greater demand for a number of products across our stores nationwide, which may cause temporary shortages of select products in certain stores. We are re-stocking those stores as quickly as possible and continuing to work diligently with our supplier partners to best meet customer demands. To confirm availability of products, customers may always call their local stores for the most up to date inventory information.
Statement from Walgreens
Shopper Jimmy Thomason said with a coronavirus case now in Shelby County, he’s trying to stock up on cleaning supplies, but it hasn’t been easy.
“I think people are panicking, but you know the thing is, hope for the best and prepare for the worst,” Thomason said.
Dr. J.O. Patterson, an internal medicine physician with Methodist Hosptial, said from a medical standpoint, he understands the fear.
“The coronavirus does kill people,” Patterson said. “It’s deadly, and a lot of things about it and how it’s transmitted, we don’t quite know yet. We’re still learning.”
Officials with the Shelby County Health Department encourage people to practice good hygiene by simply keeping their hands clean.
But with supplies running low across the city, Patterson said there are alternatives.
“You can theoretically make up a batch of hand sanitizer using industrial-strength alcohol and Aloe Vera gel.”
Patterson said in order to make your own sanitizer, you would need 99% strength alcohol, which is only sold in select stores.
“Ihe rubbing alcohol that you can get from Walgreens, it doesn’t work,” he said. “It’s not strong enough.”
The CDC said when disinfecting your home, diluted household bleach solutions, alcohol solutions with at least 70% alcohol and most common EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective.
Patterson said even with supplies running low, soap and water is still the best alternative.
“Soap and water remain the best defense with that you’re actually washing the germs off your hands, and that’s the best way to go,” he said.
But some shoppers said they have an even better approach to avoiding the virus.
“I’m just going to stay in my house if i have to,” Perry said. “I’m going to work from home.”
The CDC said whenever you’re disinfecting any surface, you need to wear disposable gloves. Immediately after, you should wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
