Ripple effects of COVID-19 felt locally

While there have been no verified cases of COVID-19 within 100 miles of Cape Girardeau, effects of the outbreak commonly known as coronavirus are being felt locally nonetheless.

Retailers who normally sell personal hygiene products and disinfectants have little or no stock available, nursing homes and senior living facilities are restricting visitors, and travel agents say they’re fielding numerous calls from clients wondering whether it’s safe to travel.

“I’ve been in the travel industry since 1992, so this isn’t my first rodeo with panic or fear,” said Carolyn Sandgren, president of Elite Travel in Cape Girardeau. She said there has been more concern about coronavirus among travelers than anything since the terrorists’ attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“There was a lot of fear about traveling then, and it took three or four years for travel to rebound,” she said. “Then we had swine flu, bird flu, Ebola and other things, but I would say that besides 9/11, this (coronavirus) has caused the most hysteria.”

Sandgren attended a travel symposium in New York City last week during which coronavirus was a major theme.

A sign taped to the entrance at Walgreens, 1 S. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau, Tuesday let customers know the store was sold out of face masks as a result of COVID-19.JAY WOLZ

“Almost the entire world is safe to travel to with the exception of Italy, South Korea, Iran, Venezuela and a few other places, but for most places in the world, it’s safe to travel,” she said.

As of Tuesday, Sandgren said none of her agency’s customers had canceled travel plans due to the coronavirus outbreak. However, it was necessary to rearrange one couple’s wedding trip itinerary.

“The couple was en route to Italy when they closed the border there, so we rerouted them to Paris instead,” she said.

Most travelers, Sandgren said, aren’t afraid of contracting COVID-19.

“They’re afraid they might get quarantined and can’t afford to be off work for three weeks,” she said.

At First Class Travel, agency president Shari Elfrink said many of the calls she and her staff have received have been from people who have booked trips and now wonder whether its safe to travel.

“I’ve been surprised,” Elfrink said. “We haven’t had that many cancellations, but we’ve had a lot of people with questions.”

She and other travel agents say they avoid telling people whether they should or should not travel.

“They ask, ‘What would you do?’ but a lot of times it depends on their cancellation and travel insurance policies,” Elfrink said. “But many of our customers are traveling in June, July and August, and for them, they can take a ‘wait and see’ approach.”

Airlines and tour companies are modifying their policies in light of COVID-19. One of the tour companies Elfrink works with, Collette, has canceled all of its Italy tours for the rest of March. Some cruise lines are either offering refunds to passengers who cancel their trips due to coronavirus concerns or are providing onboard credit to use during the cruise.

“Most airlines are also letting you reaccommodate travel plans (without additional fees) specifically because of coronavirus,” she said.

Senior care facilities

Because the elderly and people with compromised immune systems appear to be more at risk for contracting coronavirus, many nursing home and senior communities are taking additional precautions when it comes to visitors and exposure to anyone who might be ill.

It was announced earlier this week the Missouri Veterans Homes, including the one in Cape Girardeau, are restricting access to visitors, vendors and volunteers until further notice.

Senior staff at Chateau Girardeau met Tuesday to discuss the situation.

“We are currently following protocols and taking advice from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and from CMS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services,” said Chateau administrator Keith Boeller.

“We are also monitoring visitors per CMS guidelines and are encouraging hand washing and other proper hygiene procedures,” he said.

At the Lutheran Home, chief operating officer Teresa Brown said signs have been posted at all entrances to remind people about COVID-19 symptoms.

“We’re trying to educate people and for now we’re limiting the number of people who come into the building for activities,” she said. “We’re also reviewing our infection control procedures to remind staff and residents of prevention techniques.”

Supplies in short supply

A spot check of several stores in Cape Girardeau on Tuesday found items such as face masks, hand wipes and disinfectants were either sold out or in short supply.

“We sold out of face masks and alcohol-based hand cleaners a couple of weeks ago,” an employee of CVS Pharmacy said.

A sign on the door at Walgreens on Tuesday told customers the store has no face masks in stock, and at Schnucks, customers found near-empty shelves that are normally stocked with Lysol and Clorox disinfectant products.

As of Tuesday afternoon, approximately 119,000 COVID-19 cases had been reported in 115 countries and territories worldwide, resulting in just under 4,300 deaths. In the United States, 971 cases had been confirmed as of Tuesday afternoon — including one in the St. Louis area — accounting for 30 deaths.

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