On Thursday, March 19, McLean County Health Department Administrator Jessica McKnight reported the county’s first case of COVID-19. The man, in his 70s, is in good condition and being treated in isolation at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal.

Before this report, the impact of Coronavirus could be seen at the local level. As Americans grow nervous about the pandemic, as the government puts limitations on public life, customers across the country have been clearing supermarket shelves of essential items: toilet paper, cleaners, nonperishables like canned goods and cereal and fresh staples like milk, bread and meat.

Food demand in retail locations is at “unprecedented levels,” said Morris Cohen, a professor of operations, information and decisions at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton business school in an interview with CNN. “There will be spot shortages caused by panic buying,” he noted.

The Walmart Supercenter on Greenbriar Dr. was no exception on Tuesday, March 17.

Gallery • 8 Photos

Charlotte Calmes

Bare shelves have become common across the country as stores such as Walmart struggle to restock paper goods such as toilet paper and paper towels.