ATLANTA — As the federal government rolled out a massive effort to contain the H1N1 flu last week, consumers across the country went on a buying spree for masks and hand gel in an attempt to protect themselves from the virus.
John Woolard of Concord, Calif.-based Home Med-Equip said the company's retail store in Modesto sold 245 masks in three days.
"People were calling and asking for them, so we got them in," Woolard said. But when his supply ran out, he couldn't get more. "We tried to reorder, and every single supplier we use was out of them," he said, adding that he had also seen an increase in glove sales.
California had 16 confirmed flu cases on Friday. "The closest confirmed case is in Sacramento, which is 60 to 70 miles away from us," Woolard said. "The majority of our customers just seem to be being cautious. Some people are even buying a box (35 masks) and shipping them out of the country."
But even some areas with no flu cases saw a rush on masks. Lorrie Guthrie, manager at Kelly's Medical Equipment and Supply in Davenport, Iowa, said her store did have a supply — in one box that had been sitting untouched in the same spot for a year.
"That box went quickly," she said. "We had to bring in masks from another location. We have had the bare minimum in stock and now we are ordering stock. This has not happened to us before.
"We've had a lot of health facilities order that are trying to protect their own people," Guthrie continued. "We even have a large order from the Rock Island Arsenal. All these people are coming in, low-key, just wanting masks."
Information on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention swine flu Web page said no mask or respirator can completely protect against contracting influenza. But health officials have said if used correctly, a mask rated N95 or above that fits snugly on the face can filter out small airborne particles.
As the flu spread last week, traditional retailers also were running out of masks. Drugstore giants CVS and Walgreen sold out on their Web sites, along with some brands of hand gel. The N95 mask, often used in construction, was also out of stock online at Home Depot.
According to a Bloomberg.com report, manufacturer Cantel Medical Corp.'s Crosstex unit, Littlefield, N.J., received requests for 1 million N95 masks last week, about twice what it had on hand. "There just isn't enough capacity in the industry to supply everyone in the country with an N95," a company spokesman told the news service.