(MM)

THE EFFECTS OF THE CORONAVIRUS

ARE BEING FELT AT STORES IN

RHODE ISLAND.

(HE)

HAND SANTIZITER AND FACE MASKS

ARE GETTING HARDER TO FIND AS

MORE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO

PROTECT AGAINST THE VIRUS.

EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER ANITA

BAFFONI SPOKE WITH THE OWNER OF

A LOCAL PHARMACY AND JOINS US

NOW FROM THE TECH CENTER WITH

MORE. ANITA?

THE OWNER OF SIMPSON'S PHARMACY

SAYS CUSTOMERS ARE PANICKING...

TRYING TO BUY PLENTY HAND

SANTIZER AND FACE MASKS TO

PREVENT AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS.

BUT LIKE OTHER STORES ACROSS THE

COUNTRY, SIMPSON'S CAN'T KEEP UP

WITH THE DEMAND.

EVEN THOUGH THE CORONAVIRUS IS

*NOT* WIDESPREAD IN RHODE

ISLAND, PEOPLE ARE TAKING TO

PHARMACIESS TO BUY PREVENTATIVE

SUPPLIES.

"WE SOLD OUT YESTERDAY. ALL OF

MY WHOLESALERS ARE CURRENTLY OUT

OF HAND SANTIZER, HAND WIPES AND

MASKS."

SIMPSON'S PHARMACY ON NEWPORT

AVENUE IN PAWTUCKET DOESN'T

USUALLY SELL A LOT OF HAND

SANITZER

BUT NOW THAT MORE ARE WORRIED OF

CONTRACTING THE VIRUS, SIMPSON'S

HAS SOLD *FIVE CASES IN JUST TWO

DAYS.

"WE HAVE OF COURSE KEPT A STASH

BEHIND THE REGISTER FOR OUR

PEOPLE. WE WERE ACTUALLY

ALLOCATING YESTERDAY. IT'S

CRAZY."

THE FAMILY OWNED PHARMACY ISN'T

WORRIED THAT THEY ARE LOSING

BUSINESS. THEY SAY THE *OPPOSITE

IS HAPPENEING.

"IF ANYTHING IT'S INCREASED OUR

FOOT TRAFFIC BECAUSE WE HAVE

PEOPLE WHO WE HAVE NEVER SEEN

PEOPLE WHO DRIVE BY AND SAY, 'OU

PHARMACY, MAYBE THEY HAVE IT.'

STOUKIDES

SAYS A LOCAL NURSING HOME ASKED

TO PURCHASE FACE MASKS, BUT AT

SIMPSON'S, THEY SOLD OUT OF

MASKS *THREE* WEEKS AGO.

BUT THE U.S. SURGEON GENERAL IS

URGING PEOPLE *NOT BUY MASKS SO

HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONS CAN USE

THEM WHILE CARING FOR SICK

PATIENTS.

IT'S UNCLEAR WHEN THEIR SUPPLIER

WILL HAVE HAND SANITIZER AND

MASKS AGAIN. IN THE MEANTIME,

STOUKIDIES [STU-KEE-DEES]

ENCOURAGED EVERYONE TO STAY

CALM.

"THERE WAS A LOT OF PANIC AROUND

THIS, PERHAPS NEEDLESSLY."

HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE EMPHASIZING

THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF

FROM THE VIRUS IS TO WASH YOUR

HANDS FREQUENTLY,