Not only is the increased disinfecting eyecare businesses that are still open are doing to slow the spread of COVID-19 depleting their cleaning supplies, the vast majority (70 percent) are reporting some degree of difficulty in replenishing their cleaning supplies, including hand sanitizer, masks and hydrogen peroxide, according to INVISION’s Coronavirus Impact Survey. ECPs all over the country told us the difficulties they are experiencing:
- We’ve ordered more but we’ve not received it yet. We are changing product, but still have some of old to use. — Pam Peters, Midwest Eye, Downers Grove, IL
- Clorox wipes, GermX, and alcohol are prime commodities. — Frances Ann Layton, Eye Associates of South Georgia, Valdosta, GA
- Cleaning supplies are impossible to find. We have only a limited supply of cleaning supplies left and are struggling to find more. I’m not sure what we’ll do if we in fact run out. — Christine Howard, Attleboro Vision Care, Attleboro, MA
- All hand sanitizer, alcohol, peroxide, etc. is sold out in my area. — Jim Williams, Eye to Eye Optometry Inc, Mexico, MO
- They are out of everything, everywhere! Even in the animal shelter I volunteer for, we can’t get the most basic ANIMAL related disinfectants which really shows how EXTREME people can get…. it’s really unfortunate how selfish and short sighted those hoarders were. — Tiffany Firer, Lifetime Eyecare, Jenison, MI
- The medical disinfecting wipes were limited to two per order last week. Now they are all out of stock. — Judy Scheuerell, Fox Valley Family Eye Care, Little Chute, WI
- People have gone crazy. We are going places every day looking for things to try and prevent running out before this is over. — Stephanie Crowley, Sie Eyecare, Charlotte, NC
- We are about to start mixing up some CDC-approved bleach solution for our hard surfaces, to save wipes and other materials as much as possible. — Jen Heller, Pend Oreille Vision Care, Sandpoint, ID
- Tried to find masks for our doctors but none are available. — Pam Housley, Texas State Optical of Nederland, Port Arthur, TX
- Before we were asked to postpone any non-essential exams, we were disinfecting after every patient and hand washing constantly. I will say, that was not sustainable. Our throats started to hurt after couple of days from all the chemicals. We probably would not have lasted on this kind of protocol for too long. — Erika Tydor, OD, Shoreline Eyecare, Shoreline, WA
Special INVISION Webinar: Life With COVID-19
As information changes from day to day, tune in to INVISION’s Special Coverage: Life with COVID-19 free live webinar with 4ECP’s — Managing Through the Crisis: How to Address Your Marketing and Communication Staff and Patients — on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 at 2pm EDT to hear how three ODs — Dr. Solomon Gould of Scenic Eye Care in St. Paul, MN; Dr. Bridgitte Shen Lee of Vision Optique in Houston, TX; and Dr. Will To of Optical Illusions in San Mateo, CA — are managing their businesses in our “new normal.”
Register here or click the button below.
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