A Waterford pharmacist says chemists all over Ireland have sold out of protective face masks.
There was a rush on the surgical masks following the outbreak of the coronavirus in China.
Brian Tynan from Phelan's Pharmacy on Michael Street says it will be several weeks before they are available for sale again:
"On the back of social media panic and just general reporting in the press, there would have been a massive rush about two weeks ago. There would have been quite easy availability at the time for everyone in the general public, but what was actually happening was a lot of people were buying them and sending them out to China for family members. So unfortunately the stocks have run out in the country for general retail sale at the moment.
"There are orders in place to try and get them back in the country. The HSE are telling us that they have a stockpile ready for a doomsday scenario so they will be able to get them out into pharmacies, but currently retail sales wise they're unavailable."
Meanwhile, Health Minister Simon Harris says he's satisfied that Ireland is prepared, should there be a case of coronavirus here.
There has been 65 suspected cases of the illness in Ireland, but none have been confirmed.
European Health Ministers met in Brussels earlier for an emergency coronavirus meeting.
