Face masks hard to find in North Alabama amid coronavirus fears
Credit: WAAY ABC Huntsville, AL
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With coronavirus on many people's mind - pharmacies across huntsville are having a hard time keeping facemasks on their shelves.
One south huntsville pharmacy told waay 31's ashley carter this is the first they've seen of something like this happen.
They're making major adjustments because of it.
Sam wheeler, pharmacy technician: "we've had people coming in left and right for them, we've probably had 15-20 people coming in today asking for them."
That's in four hours thursday morning!
Sam wheeler is a pharmacy technician at pharmacy first in south huntsville.
He told me facemasks are popular this time of year.
But but this year is different sam wheeler, pharmacy technician: "it's already hard to get them, but when you tack on this other virus going around people are very worried about it and so they're trying to buy them as much as they can."
Ashley: "pharmacists tell me that these n-95 masks are what a lot of customers are wanting to buy, but manufacturers don't have any left in stock so they're just getting these general purpose masks for now but even those are low in stock.
Right now, the only thing they can really do is just buy some hand sanitizers and sanitizing wipes, different things that can kill germs to give to their customers because these masks are really really hard to get right now."
Sam wheeler, pharmacy technician: "we order from two of the biggest wholesalers in the country and neither of them are able to keep them in stock.
One customer told me he thinks a lot of people are going overboard.
Ralph shuey, customer: "to many people are overreacting and therefore depleting the existing supply of masks available for the general public."
But ralph shuey says he'll probably still keep a box of facemasks at home...just in case things do get worse ralph shuey, customer: "we might have one at the house just in case anything happens, but i'm probably wasting money."
In huntsville ashley carter waay 31 news the pharmacy says they also are keeping a certain number of boxes in the back that they won't sell.
They say that is just in case things do get worse --