#CoronavirusSA: We searched for hand sanitisers and here's what happened

As coronavirus fears grip SA, leading retailers are running out of preventive products, including hand sanitisers.

Since the outbreak of the virus in December, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has suggested that people wash their hands repeatedly and use alcohol-based hand sanitisers when away from basins.

When we made our way to a local Dis-Chem in Johannesburg to stock up on hand sanitisers and wet wipes on February 29 it was business as usual, with dozens of different size bottles on the shelf. At the counter were baskets of 50ml sanitisers selling for about R11 each.

We grabbed a handful and dodged the curious gaze from the teller.

What a difference a week can make.

Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced on Thursday that a 38-year-old man from KwaZulu-Natal had tested positive for the deadly virus, after he returned home from Italy. At the weekend, two more cases were reported — a woman who had travelled with the man's group to Italy and the man's wife.

We returned to the store to find shelves empty and people in hunt mode. It was like something out of a post-apocalypse film, the area that once held hand sanitisers now empty.

We asked a shop assistant where the sanitisers were. He just laughed and said: “It's all finished. We sold them all.” He then walked away, probably used to the question.

We visited several other stores in the south and west of Johannesburg, broadening our search to include Clicks. We were greeted with the same sight: empty shelves and no word on when stock would arrive.

All around people were anxiously talking to others about the coronavirus, while scanning the store for any sign of a stray bottle.

When we did find bottles, they were the 30ml variety, wrapped in plastic to attach to key chains. They cost about R26 a bottle, more than double the price of a 50ml bottle just a week earlier, and in short supply.

In fact, they were sold out by the time we left the store.

Even shops such as the Crazy Store were jumping on the bandwagon, selling wet wipes at the entrances to stores under huge promotional banners.

It seems we weren't the only ones on the great hunt. At the weekend, social media was filled with posts from users sharing their frustration at leaving stores empty-handed.

Dis-Chem responded to the shortage, blaming global demand for hand sanitisers.

“We are aware of the stock shortages on certain hand sanitisers in our stores. This is due to global demand in sales after the recent announcement made regarding the coronavirus in South Africa. Our team is working on urgent stock replenishment,” it said in a statement.

The company said stock may only be replenished in about two to three weeks.

Meanwhile, we'll be waiting here like ...