is Eyewitness News on WPRI 12."
(MM)
THE EFFECTS OF THE CORONAVIRUS
ARE BEING FELT AT STORES IN
RHODE ISLAND.
(HE)
HAND SANTIZITER AND FACE MASKS
ARE GETTING HARDER TO FIND AS
MORE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO
PROTECT AGAINST THE VIRUS.
EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER ANITA
BAFFONI SPOKE WITH THE OWNER OF
A LOCAL PHARMACY AND JOINS US
NOW FROM THE TECH CENTER WITH
MORE. ANITA?
THE OWNER OF SIMPSON'S PHARMACY
SAYS CUSTOMERS ARE PANICKING...
TRYING TO BUY PLENTY HAND
SANTIZER AND FACE MASKS TO
PREVENT AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS.
BUT LIKE OTHER STORES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, SIMPSON'S CAN'T KEEP UP
WITH THE DEMAND.
EVEN THOUGH THE CORONAVIRUS IS
*NOT* WIDESPREAD IN RHODE
ISLAND, PEOPLE ARE TAKING TO
PHARMACIESS TO BUY PREVENTATIVE
SUPPLIES.
"WE SOLD OUT YESTERDAY. ALL OF
MY WHOLESALERS ARE CURRENTLY OUT
OF HAND SANTIZER, HAND WIPES AND
MASKS."
SIMPSON'S PHARMACY ON NEWPORT
AVENUE IN PAWTUCKET DOESN'T
USUALLY SELL A LOT OF HAND
SANITZER
BUT NOW THAT MORE ARE WORRIED OF
CONTRACTING THE VIRUS, SIMPSON'S
HAS SOLD *FIVE CASES IN JUST TWO
DAYS.
"WE HAVE OF COURSE KEPT A STASH
BEHIND THE REGISTER FOR OUR
PEOPLE. WE WERE ACTUALLY
ALLOCATING YESTERDAY. IT'S
CRAZY."
THE FAMILY OWNED PHARMACY ISN'T
WORRIED THAT THEY ARE LOSING
BUSINESS. THEY SAY THE *OPPOSITE
IS HAPPENEING.
"IF ANYTHING IT'S INCREASED OUR
FOOT TRAFFIC BECAUSE WE HAVE
PEOPLE WHO WE HAVE NEVER SEEN
PEOPLE WHO DRIVE BY AND SAY, 'OU
PHARMACY, MAYBE THEY HAVE IT.'
STOUKIDES
SAYS A LOCAL NURSING HOME ASKED
TO PURCHASE FACE MASKS, BUT AT
SIMPSON'S, THEY SOLD OUT OF
MASKS *THREE* WEEKS AGO.
BUT THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL IS
URGING PEOPLE *NOT BUY MASKS SO
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONS CAN USE
THEM WHILE CARING FOR SICK
PATIENTS.
IT'S UNCLEAR WHEN THEIR SUPPLIER
WILL HAVE HAND SANITIZER AND
MASKS AGAIN. IN THE MEANTIME,
STOUKIDIES [STU-KEE-DEES]
ENCOURAGED EVERYONE TO STAY
CALM.
"THERE WAS A LOT OF PANIC AROUND
THIS, PERHAPS NEEDLESSLY."
HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE EMPHASIZING
THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF
FROM THE VIRUS IS TO WASH YOUR
HANDS FREQUENTLY,