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Bloomington Hardware Seeing Mass Purchases Of Dust Masks, Respirators

By Autumn Schoolman
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   A pack of respirator dust masks at Bloomington Hardware.

   A pack of protective dust masks at Bloomington Hardware. (Mitch Legan,
   WFIU/WTIU News)

   Bloomington True Value Hardware’s supply of protective face masks are
   almost sold out in the wake of the increasing spread of COVID-19.

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   with the demand.

   That’s despite the fact experts say masks won’t do much to protect
   wearers from getting the new coronavirus.

   Even with trucks delivering the products three times a week, dust masks
   as well as N-95 and N-100 respirator masks typically sell out before
   they hit the shelves at Bloomington Hardware. The masks are intended to
   be used by painters, contractors, and woodworkers.

   Bloomington Hardware Manager Kristi Hill says most of the customers
   asking for the masks are worried about COVID-19. She says she has had
   multiple people buy the masks with the intention of sending them
   overseas to where the virus has affected areas the most.

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   “Last week we didn’t even get them put up on the shelf," Hill says. "We
   had them in the tote boxes and before we could even get them stocked,
   they were already sold out. Last week we got about 90 masks that were
   sold out within a day.”

   Hill says the store has already surpassed the total number of masks
   sold in 2019.

   She says there has been a maximum put on how many masks they can order
   from the distributors. She says that it is uncertain how many masks the
   store will receive even if they order them because vendors cannot
   produce them fast enough for the demand.

   On top of the masks being sold out, Hill has also sold out of rubbing
   alcohol and hand sanitizer. Clorox disinfecting wipes and surface
   cleaners are also low in stock.
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   Multiple health stores in Bloomington are also sold out of medical
   masks.

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