Coronavirus Fairfield: National Shortages Affect Town Stores

FAIRFIELD, CT — As the new coronavirus has spread across Connecticut and the country, it has been accompanied by stories of shoppers panic buying mass quantities of toilet paper and other products.

Fairfield officials met with town grocery store managers Monday and learned that retailers are getting regular deliveries and have products on hand — for the most part.

"You're going to be able to get food if you go to the grocery store," Health Department Director Sands Cleary said Tuesday. "... Certain things you may not be able to get."

There are national shortages of toilet paper, hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies, according to Cleary, and, in some cases, stores are getting deliveries too small to meet demand. Some retailers have started limiting customer purchases, allowing them to buy only two of a specific item at a time.

To sign up for Fairfield breaking news alerts and more, click here.

Cleary said the issue is that shoppers are stocking up over the course of multiple trips as the government announces new information and guidance about the virus. As of late Tuesday, there were 68 confirmed cases in Connecticut, although state health officials said that number is a fraction of the actual population of infected people.

None of the confirmed cases were in Fairfield, Cleary said mid-afternoon Tuesday, although the amount of confirmed cases in neighboring Westport had climbed to 20 as of Monday. Fairfield's public parks and town buildings are closed, the school district has switched to remote learning, and restaurants, bars and other businesses throughout the state were ordered Monday to close indefinitely.

Some grocery stores have adjusted their hours in response to the affects of the virus. Stop & Shop announced Monday that, starting Thursday, it would open from 6 to 7:30 a.m. only for customers ages 60 and older in an effort to protect the population that is most vulnerable to the illness. Additionally, the grocery chain said in a news release that stores will close at 8 p.m. to allow more time for staff to unload deliveries and stock shelves.

ShopRite, BJ's Wholesale Club, Fresh Direct, The Pantry, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods all offer delivery or curbside pickup options, according to the town website.

For more information, visit www.fairfieldct.org/covid19.