MIAMI (WSVN) - South Floridians started stocking up on cleaning supplies when news first broke that the novel coronavirus was in the state. Now, with fear of contracting the virus, food and other supplies are flying off the shelves in case of quarantine.
Supermarkets all over South Florida are slammed. Their parking lots are full and their lines are long. Some shoppers said it feels like preparing for a hurricane.
“I told my husband, ‘I feel like I’m stocking up for a hurricane,” said Jonina Pitchman. “Except that now I’ll be able to use my refrigerator.”
“It’s like 10 minutes just to get out of there,” said Raul Barboza. “It’s crowded. They’re out of water, they’re out of hand sanitizers, everything.”
Shoppers said they are not necessarily nervous, but they want to be prepared with food and supplies just in case they get stuck inside.
“I’d rather have it than not have it, just in case something goes wrong,” Pitchman said.
Toilet paper at the Miami Shores Publix is totally gone. Paper towels are almost sold out too.
“Everything is gone, so, you know, we just have to take things easy, slowly,” said Blanca Hernandez.
7News cameras caught some carts stacked well beyond capacity.
“I tried to get whatever I can before it gets too late,” said Pierre Andre.
Other popular items are missing from the shelves such as hand sanitizers, cleaning products and several cold medicines. Pasta also seems to be a popular item.
“I’m trying to buy, like, water, supplies, canned food,” said Barboza. “You never know what’s going to happen. Everybody’s, like, going crazy in the stores.”
“I guess Publix is doing a good job, but certain items like toilet paper, you can’t find it,” said Louis Romero.
“There’s none in store at all,” said one shopper. “I’m going to the Family Dollar Store and the Family Tree, but I doubt there’s some over there anyway, either.”
Employees at the supermarkets are working tirelessly to restock shelves. They said there are more shipments to be delivered that contain most of the cleaning products that have been scarce on their shelves.
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