Coronavirus Fears Empty Metro Detroit Shelves

The coronavirus known as COVID-19 has hit more than 70 countries on six continents, including the United States. Currently, there are 112 cases and nine known deaths across 15 states. These numbers jumped up by more than 35 percent from Friday to Sunday. Unsurprisingly, this caused people nationwide to flock to their local stores. Images of panic buying were captured in California and Hawaii, and Metro Detroiters showcased their concern as well.

Many locations across Southeastern Michigan reported shortages and outages of items such as hand sanitizer, toilet paper, sanitizing wipes, cough drops, and cold medication. Online sites such as Amazon sold out as well in response to fears that the epicenters in Washington State and California will spread toward the Midwest.

Of course, COVID-19 can actually be found much closer to home with cases in Wisconsin and Illinois. New York State and several other areas on the east coast have also reported cases, along with Florida, Georgia, and Texas. According to more health experts, it's inevitable that the virus will make its way to Michigan. But what can we expect when it gets here?

Severity of COVID-19

Most reports indicate that about 80 percent of the people who catch COVID-19 will have relatively mild symptoms. However, the remaining 20 percent may need hospitalization to recover. Additionally, an estimated 2-3.5% of cases globally have resulted in death. Here in the U.S., there's currently an 8 percent fatality rate, but that number is expected to drop as more cases are discovered.

Should You Stock Up?

So, is there a reason for you to start hoarding toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and food? One of the less common symptoms associated with COVID-19 is diarrhea, so it's understandable that people are concerned about stocking up on toilet paper. Regarding the other items, even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have urged people throughout the country to prepare for a COVID-19 pandemic. At a minimum, this mean having a two-week supply of food, water, cleaning supplies, and medication on hand at all times.

Being prepared for the coronavirus seems like good advice in light of all the cities, businesses, and schools that have closed down in other countries, including China, Japan, Italy, South Korea, and Iran.

Is COVID-19 Worse Than the Flu?

There are some people sticking to the notion that this novel (new) coronavirus is nothing more than a flu. However, none of the scientific data upholds this position. For one thing, the flu's annual death rate is around 0.01-0.02 percent, as opposed to the 2-3.5 percent that's been seen with COVID-19 so far. People who are hospitalized with this coronavirus often remain in the hospital for several weeks, and even months in some cases.

One thing is for sure; whenever COVID-19 makes its way to Metro Detroit, store shelves are going to become empty extremely fast. And if any towns have to be locked down to prevent the spread of the virus, everyone is going to wish that they'd taken the time to prepare. Your best bet is to pick up some supplies now, avoid price gouging, and don't panic. After all, no matter what ends up happening, panicking isn't going to help. It's also wise to talk to your employer about their telecommuting policy during a local outbreak, along with finding out what your child's school plans to do.

This article was written with the assistance of COVID-19 researcher and author Tyler J. Morrison. To learn more about the coronavirus, including how to protect yourself, be sure to check out Morrison's latest book: 'Wuhan Coronavirus: A Concise & Rational Guide to the 2020 Outbreak (COVID 19).'