Due to coronavirus fears, customers across the Delaware Valley searching for hand sanitizer, find empty shelves

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA - One hot commodity across the Delaware Valley? Hand sanitizer. It’s this season’s hottest product. A lot of folks are trying to get their hands on some hand sanitizer wherever they can.

“Is it hard to find?” asked FOX 29’s Marcus Espinoza.

“Yes, very hard to find,” said one consumer.

While the reaction may be overblown, the shelves speak for themselves. Nearly every shelf in every aisle in every drug store where hand sanitizer would be are empty or close to it.

Bottles even going for as much as $80.00 on Amazon.

Finding a bottle could be a bit like winning the lottery, for some.

“Hand sanitizer! I hit the jackpot!” exclaimed Ronald Rodier.

Customers stocking up on hand sanitizer

Rodier snagged four bottles of hand sanitizer freshly stocked at Walmart in South Philadelphia. The bottles were still cold from having just been unloaded off the truck.

“I’d like to think that I’m not one of those crazy people, but I guess I am, at the end of the day. So, I went to Shop Rite and Acme and that was about it. I was going to go home, then I was like, ‘Let me check it out here,’” Rodier explained.

Rodier was not alone in taking the opportunity to snag the hand sanitizer. A Walmart employee could barely put stock up before it was taken by a customer.

People are hoping to keep coronavirus far, far away.

Customers stocking up on hand sanitizer.

“Right here, Honey, I’m ready! I’m definitely ready to have my sanitizer,” said another consumer.

Doctor Mike Cirigliano says nothing beats the traditional method.

“Soap and water! And, wash your hands for 20 seconds. If you do that, that’s the best option. If you don’t have access to soap and water, then you use either home-made or very expensive hand sanitizer,” Dr. Mike explained.

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