Medical masks are hard to come by in the Okanagan, as well as hand sanitizer and rubbing alcohol.
“We haven’t had them for months,” said Emily Wharton, a Pharmasave pharmacist.
Suppliers have been depleted across the country amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
“I checked our supplier’s website today, it’s like an indeterminate availability right now,” said Wharton. “We don’t know when we will be getting more.”
The province confirmed on Saturday morning that B.C. officially has eight cases of the coronavirus.
The new case is in the Vancouver Coastal Health region but that is not stopping people in the Okanagan from buying all the medical supplies they can.
“It is really difficult right now to get supplies into the pharmacy,” said Bijal Goswami, a Pharmasave pharmacist.
Interior Health has confirmed one case in the Okanagan region but wouldn’t confirm which community, leading to much speculation.
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When Global News reached out to Interior Health about the situation, the authority said it “recognizes the heightened awareness around COVID-19 and that rumours are circulating in communities. We do not provide personal details about people involved, including location, for privacy reasons.”
IH says the one person who has been diagnosed in the Okanagan is at home in isolation.
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