What to Know
- More than 95,000 cases reported worldwide
- 10 in LA County
- #Costcopanicbuying is happening all over the nation
As novel coronavirus cases spread in Southern California, residents have been stockpiling in preparation for possible self-quarantine, leading to hand sanitizer, water, and toilet paper to fly off the shelves.
Long lines, empty shelves, and even bidding on hand sanitizer have become the norm on social media. It's even led to people trying to make their own out of hard alcohol since it's sold out at stores. Spoiler alert: it doesn't work.
Amid the panic, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies actually had to respond to a Costco in Chino Hills Thursday.
Around 10:15 a.m., deputies were asked to check out reports of a disturbance.
They were told a large group of customers were getting rowdy because products -- like toilet paper, water and paper towels -- were out of stock.
Deputies determined no crime occurred after talking with Costco staff and customers.
If you want to know what to buy, here’s a self-quarantine checklist.
But local health officials also said while residents should always be prepared for an emergency, there's no need for long-term hoarding.
LA County health director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said people should be always be prepared for a natural disaster or other emergency.
