Chemist Warehouse sells out of face masks and hand sanitiser due to coronavirus fears 

Chemists across Australian have sold out of face masks and hand sanitiser amid growing fears that coronavirus is spreading across the nation. 

Australia’s largest pharmacy chain Chemist Warehouse has no face masks in stock in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, or Darwin. 

Other major chains such as Priceline, Amcal, Star Pharmacy, Blooms The Chemist and a number of independent vendors have either run out or have very few in stock.

Coronavirus fears have seen the demand skyrocket for face masks and hand sanitiser as shoppers attempt to protect themselves against the disease. 

Now, experts are calling on the government to release its emergency stockpile of an estimated 10 million medical masks. 

Daily Mail Australia contacted a number of chemists and discovered that many did not know when they were going to get more stock because demand was so high. 

On Tuesday, Priceline in North Sydney was delivered 300 masks but ran out by 2pm.

Two Chemist Warehouse stores in Sydney wrote messages to customers, in English and Chinese, informing them they were completely sold out.  

Another common problem was larger quantities of hand sanitiser were sold out, while only smaller bottles remained.  

In addition, Bunnings hardware stores were either sold out of P2 and N95 masks or quickly running out of stock. 

 Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Queensland president Chris Campbell said the best way to stop disease spread is hygiene.

‘It’s (face masks) not necessarily the mask that’s going to be the solution for them — there’s other things that they can do,’ he told the ABC. 

‘Keep up that hand hygiene, and by that it’s just making sure we’re always washing our hands if we’ve been in areas with contact with other people.’ 

Coronavirus fears have seen the demand skyrocket for face masks and hand sanitiser as shoppers attempt to protect themselves against the disease. Pictured: Masked passengers in Sydney Airport 

Two Chemist Warehouse stores in Sydney wrote messages to customers, in English and Chinese, informing them they were completely sold out. Pictured: A Chemist Warehouse store in Campsie 

However, now that hand sanitiser is also selling out, people may have to simply wash their hands with soap in the sink.  

Mr Campbell said that health agencies would intervene and provide masks, provided there was a serious enough outbreak. 

Dr Harry Nespolon, President of the Royal Australian College of GPs, said the government needs to release its emergency stockpile of masks.    

‘The thing we need most as GPs is some masks,’ said Dr Harry Nespolon told The Sydney Morning Herald. 

‘They are not readily available. They are not easy to get. And I gather the Commonwealth has 10 million stored at the moment. This is the time they should be distributing some.’

With chemists unable to keep up with demand, experts are calling on the Federal government to release its emergency stockpile of an estimated 10 million medical masks

Bunnings hardware stores were either sold out of P2 and N95 masks or quickly running out of stock. Pictured: A Bunnings store in Sydney’s west 

The increased demand for masks amid Coronavirus fears comes after the most recent bushfire season also saw Australians arm themselves with masks to protect themselves from smoke. 

So far, five people have contracted Coronavirus in Australia. 

Meanwhille, 80 people have died from the disease in China and there have been more than 2,700 confirmed cases globally.