People are being warned about the deadly consequences of panic buying

Many supermarkets have sold out of essential products and food items due to unnecessary panic buying, as people fear they need to stock up in case they are forced to “self-isolate” because of coronavirus.

People who have compromised immune systems because of chemotherapy or serious illness are finding it more difficult to buy essential products.

Kimberley Swales, 46, from Yeadon said people were putting lives at risk by panic buying items that she needs to help combat sepsis and meningitis after having surgery two weeks ago.

“It’s very important that I have access to hand sanitiser and soap but most shops are out of stock,” she told the Yorkshire Post.

Ms Swales is worried about being able to get hold of these items for when she comes out of hospital.

“It’s crazy, there’s no need for it. They are putting people at risk more as we can’t get the items we need. It shows how many people never used soap before now you can’t even find it in the shops.

“Now because of the panic buying they are putting genuine people like myself at risk of more infections and possibly even death.

“People need to think of others.”

Jane Mitchell, 54, from Morley is concerned about people like her daughter with type 1 diabetes who finger-pricks her hands up to eight times a day to test her blood sugar levels.

“Her hands need to be clean to get accurate readings to maintain steady input of insulin which she has directly pumped into her via a line and insulin pump. It’s not always possible to hand wash when out and about especially if her sugars drop suddenly, so she carries a small bottle of sanitiser in her bag, her car, on her desk at work.

“She also has a disabled son who needs help with his mobility and toileting needs so again hygiene paramount from both sides.”

Ms Mitchell, who runs South Leeds Spartans a girls’ rugby club, said the club also needs hand sanitiser for their first aid kits.

“It annoys me how people do not realise what they are actually doing when being scaremongers into bulk buying, especially sanitiser when hand washing for ‘non risk’ people.

“I feel the vulnerable are going to suffer because they cannot access the things they need to keep well.”

As well as a shortage of soap and hand sanitiser, many supermarkets have sold out of toilet roll, pasta and tins of food.

A Government spokesperson said: “We are in regular contact with the food industry to ensure it is well prepared to deal with a range of scenarios.

“We have been speaking to the industry bodies representing our leading supermarkets this week, including the British Retail Consortium and the Food and Drink Federation.

“A Defra-chaired group also meets regularly to allow government and industry bodies to identify and mitigate potential risks to food supply and interdependent sectors, and this group will meet later today.”

Morrisons, Boots and Lloyds Pharamcy have said they are limiting hand sanitiser bottles to two per customer in an effort to keep stock on the shelves.

As the government warns that up to a fifth of the workforce may be off sick during the peak of a coronavirus epidemic in the UK, washing hands with soap and water remains the best way of defending against coronavirus.