HOUSTON – People have rushed the shelves at local grocery stores in wake of coronavirus scares.
Bottled water and disinfectants are hard to come by and sold out on Amazon, but is this necessary?
“There’s no reason for people to be fearful right now. It is time to have a plan, make a kit, stay informed,” David Persse, MD, with the Houston Health Department said.
Persse said just like you prepare in case of a natural disaster, families should do the same now, even though there’s nothing to indicate there is imminent danger.
“A lot of this mass buying of things right now is perhaps a little bit premature and part of the fear that’s going on, but you do need to be thinking ahead. This is what the CDC was trying to get across about a week ago,” Persse said. “Do I need to start thinking ahead about what if the school should close? What if we have that, what are you going to do in terms of childcare? This is the time for people to start thinking about those sorts of things.”
Supplies you are encouraged to stock up on are the same ones you would buy during the hurricane season: Prescriptions, pet supplies, baby supplies, non-perishable food, and water (however, the health department reminds you in the event of quarantine for coronavirus, the city would still have running water).
Most importantly, stay calm, stay home if you’re sick, and wash your hands often.