(WXYZ) — One way to get a feel for how the public is reacting to the new Coronavirus is to talk to delivery workers who shop for others for a living. They have definitely noticed, the virus is changing what people buy.
“They are trying to be prepared,” said Kim Wood, as she loaded groceries into her car for a customer.
7 Action News found Kim Wood filling a Shipt order at the Meijer in Fraser. She says she has noticed, people are buying more non-perishable food and some items can be hard to find.
“Mostly bottled water, hand sanitizer and face masks. Face masks have been out of stock though for two weeks,” said Wood.
It lead to a problem for Joanette Bibee who works as a caregiver. One of her patients couldn’t find distilled water.
“It is a problem because people with CPAPS need distilled water for their machines,” said Bibee.
Should you be stockpiling?
“Having at least 2 to 3 weeks of non perishable foods at home, that is a practice we should have in place,” said Bill Ridella, the Director and Health Officer of the Macomb County Health Department.
Ridella says people need to prepare for the fact that if someone you’ve been around becomes sick, you could be asked to isolate yourself in your home for two weeks, just in case. In February, twenty-five people who returned to Macomb County after traveling had to do that. It appears none of them had the virus.
“They were very cooperative in self isolating themselves. We made sure they had thermometers and updated us on what their health status was like,” said Ridella.