Coronavirus Advice: FDA Wants Americans To Stop Panic Buying
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - It's become a common sight. Grocery store shelves are empty when it comes to meat, bread, paper products, and hand sanitizer as people stock up as they prepare to self isolate due to the coronavirus.
The Food and Drug Administration says there's no reason to empty shelves at grocery stores. Agency officials insist there are no nation-wide food shortages.
FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn says Americans should only buy enough food to last a week. The agency says low supplies on certain items will be restocked soon.
To help, the FDA is relaxing some verification and audit requirements for suppliers that are using other methods to make sure their products are safe. Regulators have also lifted some restrictions on the trucking industry to keep merchandise moving around the country. The agency says travel restrictions have made it difficult to conduct its usual on-site audits.
It plans to resume them when it "becomes practical to do so."
