Maine college students are reporting people are stealing cases of masks from local hospitals

[jpak]

Panic buying is happening at local stores.

No hand sanitizer, No isopropyl alcohol, No soap , No paper towels, No Advil and other OC drugs.

People wearing surgical masks at the local Walmart.

This is what I heard in the hallway before class today.

They were truly frightened.

This was in Bangor today.

[defacto7]

1. I had to laugh at all the empty shelves at Kroger and Walgreens today.

[pnwmom]

10. Its not funny. In Seattle, they just told people age 60 and over, pregnant women,

and anyone with diabetes or lung conditions (asthma, for example) to stay home as much as possible.

People who didn't stock up are probably regretting it now.

What a lot of people don't understand is just because there are no reported cases in your area right now doesn't mean there won't be tomorrow. We didn't have any cases a few weeks ago, either. Now they think we might have more than a thousand, but most undiagnosed. And they think this has been spreading for 7 weeks.

A researcher at Scripps in CA said he thinks the only reason WA appears to be a "hub" of this illness is because they're actually looking for it here.

[defacto7]

11. I don't mean to offend. I would never make fun of the things you mentioned.

But the needless emptying of certain shelf items is senseless and useless. A bit here and there is fine but the selfish ransacking of a grocery store shows lack of empathy. Me, me, me... This sort of reaction is why Amazon sellers get away with charging $600 for Purel.
Yes, sometimes humanity in its base form is very laughable in a dark sort of way.

[pnwmom]

12. I haven't seen any selfish ransacking here. But many, many people are trying to get the same stuff

at the same time. So even if they only take one or two, the stores still run out.

[MagickMuffin]

2. First off they shouldn't be stealing from hospitals

Those masks are for the professional health care workers who need them.

[jpak]

4. Well yeah

That was from a student that worked at a small hospital in northern Maine.

People are panicking or see a big Black Market Payoff from selling the masks.

ugh

[cwydro]

15. Most hospitals have cameras everywhere.

So I hope they’re looking over their shoulder.

[OhioChick]

3. This pisses me off

My kids are doctors and due to a shortage in masks, they're only allowed ONE mask per shift, same with nurses.

If people keep this up, doctors and nurses will all be sick and hoarders (and those stealing masks) will have no one to care for them.

They're probably stealing them to put them up on eBay or Amazon to make $$$$.

[Kaleva]

5. I don't understand the panic buying. We've been warned about this for awhile

[jpak]

6. No one pays attention until it's too late

Human Nature

[Kaleva]

8. Like climate change.

People talk about it but I don't see people making preparations for what's expected to come.

[pnwmom]

13. Many people like Trump have been trying to play this down. Nine deaths in one town woke people up.nt

[Kaleva]

14. We've had people here poo-pooing it.

Mocking those of us who were discussing what actions we could and should take to better prepare us in case this got serious.

They are pretty quiet now.

[3Hotdogs]

7. I got 3/4th filled bottle of Iso alcohol.

It's yours for $50.00, F.O.B., northeastern, N.J.

[BBG]

9. And I've got 5 dozen N95 Masks

We oughta go into business.

[avlbeerfan]

16. N95's are just the first item.

Wait till it’s wide spread in a few more weeks and it’s antibiotics that’s disappearing.