Sales of hand sanitizer and toilet paper have been brisk as fears about coronavirus grow among Thurston County residents.
As of Monday, Washington has seen 18 confirmed cases of COVID-19, or coronavirus, six of which have resulted in fatalities in King and Snohomish counties. There had been nine deaths in the state by Tuesday afternoon.
That had Gail James of Lacey, and other seniors like her, feeling a little anxious, she said. James was sitting outside Fred Meyer in Lacey in her car on Monday, waiting for a delivery of food she had ordered online. She also had requested two bottles of hand sanitizer that the store "may not be able to fulfill," she said.
A check of the store showed that the hand sanitizer aisle was busy and some shelves were bare. The Olympian was unable to get ahold of a spokesperson for Fred Meyer for comment.
Some shoppers had more success finding what they were after Monday afternoon. Maritza Pham of Olympia was busy loading more than $250 in groceries into her car at the Walmart on Galaxy Drive Northeast in Lacey.
Pham had purchased food, toilet paper and jugs of water.
"You have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best," she said, adding that there are "going to be more cases" of coronavirus.
Pham found toilet paper at Walmart after she couldn't find any at Costco on Marvin Road, she said. That store confirmed that it had sold out of toilet paper. Shoppers exiting Costco said it had none. A woman suggested that WinCo on Martin Way might have toilet paper left.
Kevin Stormans, president of the business that operates the Ralph's and Bayview Thriftway stores in Olympia, said they still had some hand sanitizer for sale, but some brands the store was unable to order, likely because of demand.
"There's been no run on stuff," he said. The Thriftway stores still have tissues, toilet paper and paper towels for sale.
Meanwhile, Gaylen Griffin of Lacey, who was sitting in his vehicle outside Fred Meyer on Monday, wasn't worried about the virus at all, saying it has been blown out of proportion.
"I'm already tired of hearing about it," he said.
The World Health Organization has labeled the coronavirus outbreak a "very high" risk of spread and impact, but has so far stopped short of declaring it a global pandemic, McClatchy reported Monday.
Worldwide there were about 90,000 confirmed cases and 3,100 deaths as of Monday. Nearly 48,000 have recovered from the illness, according to data produced by Johns Hopkins University.
Thurston County Public Health and Social Services recommends these steps to prevent the spread of illnesses:
* Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer if washing your hands isn't an option.
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
* Avoid contact with people who are sick.
* Stay home while you're sick and avoid close contact with others.
* Cover your mouth/nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
To ask questions about the virus, what's happening in Washington, and what to do if you have symptoms, call the DOH call center at 800-525-0127 and press #.
