Companies cleaned out as Corona prep continues

Monday 02 March 2020

A Jersey car painting company has sold out of face masks, while Quids In sold 500 bottles of hand sanitiser in mere hours, as coronavirus-fuelled 'panic' buying continues to sweep the island.

St. Brelade-based Cory Car Paints Ltd posted an advert on Facebook last week, asking: "Need a mask? Come visit us at Cory Car Paints."

The post quickly generated interest among islanders, gaining over 100 'likes' and dozens of shares within hours.

While it didn't mention coronavirus specifically, some noted the timing of the post, with one islander jokingly: "I love entrepreneurship...get in there."

The masks in question were actually made to prevent the inhalation of dust or fumes, and are the second most protective masks of their kind. Nonetheless, the industrial masks have been widely marketed and used across the UK and further afield for dealing with coronavirus.

Nick Venton from the auto paint supplier and colour match specialists told Express that the response to the advert was "great", adding: "[We] are currently sold out of the masks but we have a load more arriving from our supplier on Monday."

"We don't sell them based on the coronavirus," he explained. "But the masks we sell which are FFP2 masks have the same rating as the masks that are suggested to use for protection against the coronavirus."

Cory Car Paints isn't the only company that has been able to cash in on coronavirus concerns.

With multiple stores having sold out of hand sanitiser last week, Quids In Jersey yesterday led its 'daily deals' email with a £1.95 offer for 100ml of hand sanitiser.

Pictured: An empty shelf at Grand Marché last week.

However, the antibacterial gel offer came with a caveat that only five units per person can be bought "due to expected high demand and shortages in the island."

Islanders jumped at the opportunity, with the company's 500 units selling out in under 24 hours.

The shipment is expected to arrive on Friday 6 March.

So far, there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Jersey.

Several people have been tested as a precautionary measure, but all results have been negative.

Pictured: The section of the Quids In email advertising antibacterial hand gel.

Islanders are still being reminded that they shouldn’t turn up at their GP or the Emergency Department unannounced if they have returned from any areas affected by coronavirus in the last 14 days, have been in contact with someone who has the illness, and/or has any symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath) themselves.

On Friday, the government launched a 'flow chart' to help islanders decide if they need to isolate themselves.

You can see it by clicking HERE.