AUGUSTA,Ga. – As the Coronavirus continues to spread, a shortage of masks is at the focus of everyone’s concerns.
NewsChannel 6’s Ashley Flete Spoke to Amanda Reddick, a pharmacist at Barneys Pharmacy about why these masks are selling like hot cakes.
“Some people have been coming in to buy them to ship overseas…to families who are living in the area that have been affected by the outbreaks. The people who are buying them here, are buying them to keep on hold at home- in case we do have an out break here or in case they become ill.”
Reddick says before the store even opened a line of people greeted the employees at the door as they all waited to buy those masks.
“We have sold out of everything that we have been able to get in stock . I know that yesterday we ordered 24 boxes and all of those sold out immediately. I know that our D-M-E side had 70 [boxes] that also sold out yesterday.”
Stores like Dollar General sold it’s last five boxes Wednesday night. The shelves in Walgreen’s still waiting to be restocked and even at Lowe’s where the masks once hanged are now replaced by gloves.
NewsChannel 6’s Ashley Flete also spoke to Dr. Jose Vazquez, Infectious Diseases division with the Medical College of Georgia about the use of the mask.
“There is no benefit to having a mask if there is no symptoms. The CDC does not recommend the use of a mask if your asymptomatic, have no symptoms, don’t have a cough or a cold. It’s only recommended if you’re sick,” says Dr.Vazquez.
The question is…..does the masks work?
“Most masks that are sold out there within a couple of hours—because of the humidity that we have and our breathing– are ineffective. We don’t even know if those mask block the corona-virus.”
