FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - As fears of the virus from China spreads, some people across the country and in South Florida are stocking up on masks.
From California to Florida, concerns from the Wuhan coronavirus have taken over dinner table conversations and have made its way to pharmacy shelves.
Richard Weiner is a pharmacist who owns Neighborhood Drugs, a local pharmacy in Davie.
“There’s a lot of people coming in who are scared of the current issue with the coronavirus or other health care issues, and they’re trying to stockpile masks,” Weiner said.
In pharmacies large and small, medical masks are hard to find in South Florida. Some stores have a few masks in stock while others have sold out of them.
Marc Leach is also a pharmacist who also owns Las Olas Chemist, a South Florida pharmacy.
Both Leach and Weiner said they understand the concerns regarding the virus from China, but they added there is no reason to be alarmed.
“Well, at this point, the answer is no,” Leach said. “The risk is minimal at best.”
The pharmacy owners said that not all face masks are created equal, so going out and stocking up may do no good.
“Face masks have different ratings,” Leach said. “There are certain ratings of masks that are more effective for virus.”
While the virus has killed hundreds in China and infected thousands of others, only a handful of people in the United States have fallen ill, most connected to recent travels.
Despite that, airlines are canceling flights to China, and governments around the world are issuing travel warnings to prevent the illness from spreading.
“Your daily routine shouldn’t be significantly impacted unless you’re traveling or come in contact with someone who is traveling from those designated areas,” Weiner said.
The pharmacists said the best thing people can do is to keep up with their daily hygiene, such as washing their hands and covering their mouth when they cough and sneeze.
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