With the sudden increase in the demand for antiseptics and messages being circulated on eucalyptus oil being a possible deterrent to the H1N1 virus, many medical stores in the city are running out of these products, apart from vitamin C tablets and hand sanitisers.

While vitamin C pills were already in short supply since the past few days, the sudden spurt in demand has lead to further non-availability of stock and the chemists are clueless about the resumption in supplies.

“We are facing a dearth of all Dettol products since the last eight days and have also run out of Savlon today. There is nothing left, neither sanitisers nor Vitamin C tablets. In fact, after the stock of Eucalyptus oil was sold out, clove oil was in demand, which is moving off the shelves fast,” said Prashant Malphathak, of Apollo Pharmacy, Aundh.

Sheetal Karnavat, owner of Anand Medicals in Karve Nagar said, “There is a serious shortage of stock since yesterday. Although Dettol products are being brought in, we are left with no sanitisers. Moreover, there is a continuous demand. There is very little stock remaining of vitamin C tablets, from all six companies supplying them. We have no idea when the supply will be resumed and are forced to turn away a lot of customers.

While unprecedented demand led to eucalyptus oil being in short supply, many medical storeowners are optimistic about liquid antiseptics being available soon. “We have sold all bottles of eucalyptus oil, 50 were gone in a day. We have no stock of vitamin C tablets since a couple of days. However, Dettol is available, although there was a shortage yesterday. The demand has multiplied and every store I know is facing a shortage,” said Siddharth Gandhi, owner of New Pundol Medical Stores in Camp.

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