As New Yorkers prepare for the spread of a new coronavirus that has caused more than 100 deaths in China, local pharmacies are running out of face masks.
The owner of Bayard Pharmacy in Chinatown told Gothamist that her shop as well as others in the area are all currently out of stock. Chan, who asked that we not use her first name for privacy reasons, said she sold roughly 120 boxes of disposable face masks in the span of two to three days last week. One customer, she said, bought 12 boxes. Each box contains 50 masks.
Chan, who has operated the pharmacy for 25 years, said the run on face masks is even worse that during the 2002 SARS epidemic, which killed nearly 800 and infected more than 8,000 people.
Most customers buy the disposable version, she said, but pharmacies are also stocking up on a more durable and effective respirator mask, known as the N95.
The latest coronavirus has to date sickened more than 4,000 people, mostly in central China, where the disease originated. But the fast rate of infection—the number of known cases jumped 60 percent overnight—has alarmed people, particularly those in New York City's Chinese community.
Chan said most customers were nervous about the latest coronavirus but she added that some were also worried about catching the flu. Even though experts have said that disposable face masks offer minimal protection from airborne viruses, East Asians have a history of wearing the masks for fear of breathing in "bad air."
During a press conference on Tuesday, Alex Azar, the U.S. secretary of health and human services, dismissed the practice as "unnecessary" given the low level of danger thus far. To date, there have been only five confirmed cases in the United States. No cases have been identified in the state of New York, but 10 people have been tested.
"For the individual American, this should not be an impact on their day to day life," Azar said.
On the same day, health officials in New York City also held a conference to allay fears as well as distribute information about the disease, which is said to have an incubation period ranging from two to 14 days.
However, in a sign of precaution, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that they would expand the number of U.S. airports where international travelers are being screened for the virus from five to 20. CDC officials are advising those who have recently traveled to China and are feeling symptoms such as fever, cough or difficulty breathing to see a doctor immediately.
Karlin Chan, a Chinatown resident who is not related to owner of Bayard Pharmacy, said he ordered a shipment of face masks on Amazon last week. It is currently on backorder. "With the Chinese New Year festivities and crowds, it's better to be cautious," he explained.
On Tuesday, he decided to see if he could find any in stock at pharmacies in his neighborhood. But despite seeing signs in the windows announcing that face masks were available, he said the several stores he visited were all out.
Pharmacy in Chinatown with a sign that says it has face masks.
People have also noticed a rise in the number of Asian New Yorkers seen walking the streets wearing face masks.
People in Flushing wearing face masks.
Dr. Perry Pong, the chief medical officer of the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center in Chinatown, speculated that anxiety about the virus may be higher than during SARS because of the use of social media. On Tuesday, there was a rumor circulating on WeChat, a popular Chinese messaging app, that a patient suspected of having the coronavirus had been taken to Mount Sinai Beth Israel hospital.
The city's health commissioner, Dr. Oxiris Barbot, however, said that none of the people under observation are in the five boroughs.
Still, some Chinese New Yorkers like Karlin Chan argued that the wearing of face masks represents a responsible precaution in the face of dangerous epidemic. The New York Times reported on a Queens resident who recently flew in from Wuhan, China, the source of the infection, and has quarantined himself even though he has not experienced any symptoms.
Chan, of Bayard Pharmacy, said customers are clearly anxious, asking her and others when the next shipment will come in.
"Everybody has the same answer," she said. "We don't know."
Gwynne Hogan contributed reporting to this story.
