Coronavirus Fears Apparently Lead to Some Empty Shelves at Local Stores

Customers in local stores reported empty shelves and sold out items via social media this weekend as fears of the novel coronavirus increased.

Water, hand sanitizers, toilet paper and food were sold out at local Target Department Stores and Trader Joes. Customers at nearby Walmart and Costco and Home Depot also reported some empty shelves.

“In California, people are stocking up on essentials, due to fear of the coronavirus. The medication isles are empty here at Target in Pasadena, California!” wrote Bertha S Castro on Twitter.

There are no known cases of the virus in Pasadena and health care officials are scheduled to update the City Council at the March 9 meeting.

At Trader Joe’s hand sanitizer was sold out and a sign on the shelf limited customers to five containers per purchase.

“Spouse called me from Costco on Friday to say that it was #armageddon insanity with packed crowds and empty shelves, worse than a pre-holiday run. What were people grabbing? They were stocking up on sani-wipes,” posted Helen Zia.

The virus had killed nearly 3,000 people around the world. At least 80,000 people have been infected. Over 30 million people have been quarantined.

Shoppers have been posting images of empty shelves on social media at various retail chains, including Costco, Walmart, Target and Home Depot. Consumers have reported shortages in California, Washington, Minnesota, Hawaii, and New York, according to Newsweek.

There have been two cased of community spread in California, which means authorities cannot trace the spread of the virus.

Two people died in Washington this past week from the virus, the first deaths in the U.S. The patients reportedly caught the virus through community spread.

There are now 13 confirmed cases in Washington, according to the Washington State Department of Health.

The governor of Washington, Jay Inslee, declared a state of emergency on Saturday following the first reported death, instructing all “state agencies and departments to utilize state resources and do everything reasonably possible to assist affected communities responding to and recovering from COVID-19 cases,” the governor’s office said in a statement.

At a nursing home in Kirkland, Washington, near Seattle, two people have tested positive for coronavirus and more than 50 others associated with the facility are sick and being checked for the virus. Family members are not allowed to visit the facility.

According to the CDC, 44 cases in the U.S. were reported to be passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which was quarantined at sea for around two weeks in Japan after a passenger from Hong Kong was found to have been infected. American evacuees from the ship who were infected were sent to hospitals in the areas surrounding the Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California.

The American Red Cross issued a statement on Thursday advising residents on ways to “be ready for any emergency” and “prepare in case this new coronavirus risk level increases in the U.S.”

“Have a supply of food staples and household supplies like laundry detergent and bathroom items, and diapers if you have small children,” the organization said.

“Check to make sure you have at least a 30-day supply of your prescription medications, and have other health supplies on hand, including pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough and cold medicines, fluids with electrolytes, and vitamins,” it added.

If you encounter or have pictures of empty local store shelves please email jamesm@pasadenanowmagazine.com