Mask shortage in Sacramento as coronavirus fears grip California. What protection is available

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Looking for a mask to protect yourself from coronavirus now that it’s possibly spreading through Sacramento County? You’re probably not going to find one on a store shelf in the Sacramento area.

Several local sellers say they’ve been sold out for weeks, as global fears about the virus known as COVID-19 has led to widespread production shortages and online price gouging, despite disease experts being reluctant to recommend the public use them because even the N95 respirators used by health professionals can provide a false sense of security and only work when worn properly.

“We sold out of masks probably about two weeks ago. We had people coming in hoarding them. Trying to buy all of them,” said Clint Hopkins, pharmacist and owner of Pucci’s Pharmacy on J Street in Sacramento. “All of our suppliers are sold out across the country that we buy from.”

It was the same at Walmart on Antelope Road in Sacramento County. There was an ample supply of sanitary wipes, sterile gloves and hand sanitizer, but no masks on any of the shelves.

“We haven’t had any for two weeks,” one worker said. “They’re all going to China.” Walmart’s corporate office didn’t immediately return a request seeking comment.

A search of online retailer Amazon also showed limited availability for various face masks on Thursday, after national news outlets reported earlier in the week that Amazon warned some sellers not to price gouge.

On reports of shortages of protective masks, Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a mid-morning news conference on the state’s response to coronavirus that California has stockpiled “millions of masks.” Newsom said, though, that questions remain over some masks’ expiration dates. The governor said that how the masks were stored could mean their effectiveness could extend past the manufacturers’ expiration dates.

Sanitizer still available

Meanwhile, Hopkins at Pucci’s said hand sanitizer is selling fast.

“The pump kind is getting difficult to get. We can’t get any of that,” he said. “But like the Lysol wipes, those sort of things, the Lysol sprays, we’re not having any problems getting those yet.”

Hopkins said patients have been coming to his store with questions about what they can do to keep themselves safe. He reiterated the advice of public health officials: Practice good hygiene like hand washing before handling food and touching your face and make sure you’re up to date on all your vaccines including your flu shot.

“Thirty-thousand people have died since October 2019 in the United States from the flu,” he said. “And zero people have died from the coronavirus so far.”

Sacramento County’s Public Health Department spokeswoman Brenda Bongiorno said if you’re not feeling ill, there’s no need to race out and buy a mask anyway.

“If you’re not sick, you don’t need to wear a mask,” she said.

Meanwhile, common surgical masks block the droplets coming out of a sick person from getting into the air, but they are not tight enough to prevent what’s already in the air from getting in, she said.

As for those N95 masks, she said, they’re not only pricey, but they’re difficult to use without training and must be fitted and tested to work properly.

“The bottom line is for someone who is sick or symptomatic to use the paper mask, and for those who are not, try to avoid those who are sick,” said Sacramento County’s department of health services director Peter Beilenson.

What else should you stock up on?

It’s unlikely the coronavirus will bring about widespread disruptions in vital services such as the food supply or shutdowns of water and power, said Rebecca Katz, a professor and director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University.

“But I do believe we are going to see widespread community transmission, which means that it’s important to think that every time you go out to the store, it’s another opportunity that you might put yourself at risk to being exposed,” she said in an interview with The Sacramento Bee.

She urged Californians as they make their shopping lists to think about the things they might need if they were home sick with a bad cold or flu. Those requiring daily medications should have at least a week’s supply on hand, she said.

“If you find yourself sick, you don’t want to be running to the store for, say, more toilet paper or milk,” she said. “This is not about panicking. This is about thinking about what you and your family might need.”

Katz said Californians who’ve lived through earthquakes, wildfires, floods and widespread blackouts already have a good idea of what they need.

“The messaging we’re saying for (coronavirus) preparedness is literally the exact same messaging for preparedness for disasters, too,” she said. “It’s the same type of mentality: Have a plan. Know how to take care of you and your family, including in situations where there might not be a cavalry coming immediately.”

This story was originally published February 27, 2020 at 11:15 AM.