Shoppers stocking up on food, toilet paper and water as coronavirus fears grow across country – The Sun

SHOPPERS around the US are stocking up on food, toilet paper and water amid fears about the spread of the coronavirus.

Residents in Hawaii were encouraged to have 14 days worth of emergency supplies, according to TV station KITV.

More than 82,000 people around the world have been infected with the coronavirus, with more than 78,000 of the cases in mainland China.

There have been 60 cases in the US, according to The Associated Press.

"I got an early jump on it, but my wife wants to come with me to get the major stuff so we'll be back again to pick up the rice," a shopper told KITV, a Honolulu station.

Shopper David Pineda added: "I'm really more concerned about being sick, I'm concerned about money, you know how am I gonna provide for my family, so that's my main concern and then also feeding them."

However, officials are cautioning residents not to "panic buy."

"We are asking the public please do not make this an event," Hawaii Foodbank President and CEO Ron Mizutani told Hawaii News Now.

"So far, we do not have a reason to be purchasing that kind of food. I call it fear hoarding."

Personal shopper Laura Williams told the outlet that her customers are "being a little irrational, better safe than sorry."

Experts also say that people should have enough daily medications to last a few weeks, just in case.

Juliette Kayyem, formerly with the Department of Homeland Security, told New York magazine that "the first 72 is on you," meaning that people should initially be stocked with three full days worth of supplies.

"Preparedness for a pandemic is relatively the same as the preparedness that people like me have been urging on the American public since 9/11, whether it's for a hurricane or an earthquake," she told New York.

Dr. Anne Schuchat of the CDC said that "we do expect more cases."

President Trump assured people yesterday that the US is "very, very ready" for whatever the coronavirus outbreak brings, and he put Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the country's efforts.

"This will end," Trump told reporters.

"You don't want to see panic because there's no reason to be panicked."

The 60th case in the US was reported in California, with most of them evacuated from outbreak zones.

Health officials have gone through an initial $105 million in emergency funding and have been looking elsewhere for more dollars.

Trump said he was willing to spend "whatever's appropriate."

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