Islanders ‘panic buying’ hand sanitiser

Friday 28 February 2020

Hand sanitiser is selling out in local shops and pharmacies as an apparent wave of panic buying fuelled by coronavirus fears takes hold.

Worries that the virus could be brought over to Jersey as numbers of positive cases in the UK and Europe increase appear to have caused islanders to stock up on the antibacterial gel to protect themselves.

Among the stores to have sold out this week was the Co-op, which is getting in a new shipment of sanitiser to meet demand.

Sara Kynicos, Pharmacy Manager for the Co-op, told Express: “All our Jersey pharmacies have experienced very high sales of hand sanitiser over the last week and nearly all our pharmacy locations now have low stock. We are working with our supply team to order more and we are expecting a delivery next week." 

Pictured: Empty hand sanitiser shelves at the St. Helier Co-op Grand Marche.

She added: “Customers should refer to the Government of Jersey’s health advice. They can also take simple steps to limit the spread of the virus such as covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue and disposing of it properly, washing hands regularly and avoiding sharing household items, such as drinking glasses, eating utensils and towels. Our pharmacists are also available should any islander have concerns or need more advice.”

When asked by Express, newcomers to the Jersey high street Superdrug declined to comment on their hand sanitiser sales, while Boots and a number of local supermarkets did not respond to the request.

Schools are also encouraging students to be more aware of their hand hygiene. A spokesperson for Beaulieu School commented: “We always have hand sanitiser available for our students - following the advice being given in relation to good hygiene we have simply encouraged our students to use this facility more often.

“In addition, we have, as a precautionary measure, increased on a more frequent basis our deep cleaning provision across the School, again in line with the advice given.”

Video: The latest advice from the Government of Jersey (Facebook/Government of Jersey).

De La Salle, which sent home a number of students who had been on holiday in Tenerife over half term, told parents in an email earlier this week: "...Staff will be issued with hand sanitizer and after each occasion when the boys have had a break we will ask students to use this before going into a classroom. (We would obviously prefer boys to wash their hands if they have been to the toilets- but I have decided to adopt a pragmatic approach to reinforce the good hygiene message). Boys will also be asked to sanitize their hands before going into the canteen or the lunch room."

Students were also reportedly attending school wearing medical face masks.

There have been more than a dozen tests for coronavirus in Jersey, but so far no cases have been confirmed.

The government has now issued a ‘flow chart’ to help islanders decide whether they need to isolate themselves.

Pictured: The Government of Jersey have issued a 'flow chart' to help islanders decide if they need to isolate themselves.

It comes after they set up a dedicated coronavirus helpline if anyone is concerned they might have symptoms.

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