The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

OLYMPIA—The COVID-19 pandemic may have you rushing to the store to stock up on hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and other supplies.

But before you sweep the store aisles clean of these items, you might want to remind yourself of the harm you’re causing to yourself and your community by overstocking. The more you overstock those supplies, the less is available for your sick neighbors, and for doctors, dentists, and emergency response personnel. Doing our part to keep vulnerable people healthy includes making sure they have access to necessary supplies.

Grocers say consumer overstocking – not a disrupted supply chain -- is the main reason their store shelves are empty of many supplies and food items, especially hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, toilet paper, and plastic gloves.

“We want the public to be assured that if they will return to their normal pace of grocery shopping that there will be an adequate supply of products for their consumption,” said Jan Gee, president and CEO of the Washington Food Industry Association and its educational foundation.

The Department of Health has established a call center to address questions from the public. If you have questions about what is happening in Washington State please call 1-800-525-0127 and press #.