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Here are the 8 coronavirus essentials the CDC says to stock up on

Published Feb 9th, 2021 7:58AM EST

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  • Head over to the CDC’s website and you’ll find plenty of coronavirus tips that the agency believes to be important.
  • Included on the site is a list of products the CDC says you should have on hand.
  • There are a few items on the list that our readers have been stocking up on now that grocery-hoarding and purchase limits have become issues again in many regions.
  • Examples include best-selling Powecom KN95 masks, sleek black AccuMed face masks, and Purell hand sanitizer.

We warned BGR Deals readers several times in late 2020 that another rush of grocery hoarding appeared to be inevitable. Then, reports of panic buying and grocery hoarding began popping up all over the place. On top of that, many large grocery store chains and local supermarkets have put purchase limits in place on certain in-demand items. That’s certainly an understandable policy, but it’s often bad news for people with large families and others with a real need to purchase certain products in bulk.

If you’re looking to stock up on essentials and you’re not having luck at local stores, the good news is that Amazon has so many key essentials in stock right now with no purchase limits to worry about.

The coronavirus guidelines on the CDC website list eight things that the Commission says everyone needs during the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically, the CDC’s site says you should “ensure adequate supplies to support healthy hygiene behaviors. Supplies include soap, water, hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol, paper towels, tissues, disinfectant wipes, masks (as feasible), and no-touch trash cans.”

Read through all of the CDC’s guidelines and be sure to check back periodically for new updates that are published. But those eight things listed by the CDC above are all considered to be crucial. Here’s what our readers have been stocking up on lately:

Face masks

Among our readers, Powecom KN95 masks and AccuMed face masks are the best-selling options by a huge margin. The former has been a best-seller since the start of the pandemic, and the latter comes in three different colors including white, pink, and a sleek black color.

Amazon Logo See Pricing
Amazon Logo See Pricing
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Amazon Logo See Pricing

Other popular options for face covers include Amazon’s best-selling 3-layer face masks, similar 3-ply masks in black, and Honeywell cloth masks that are flying off the shelves but take a while to be delivered right now.

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Amazon Logo See Pricing
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Hand sanitizer

Amazon has a huge hand sanitizer section on its website with plenty of great options that are in stock and shipping right now. Of course, there’s so much Purell in stock at Amazon these days, our readers have completely abandoned other brands at this point.

The most popular options among our readers are all sold directly by Amazon, and they’re all at the best prices we’ve seen in months: 12-packs of 12oz Purell pump bottles. You can also find 4-packs of 8oz pumps and 8-packs of travel bottles in stock right now, and all of these listings ship out immediately.

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Disinfectant wipes

Disinfectant wipes are still pretty scarce in many stores and even online. Here is Amazon’s disinfectant wipes section so you can check out all the different options that are in stock right now. Of note, Clorox wipes and Purell wipes are both in stock right now and available to ship quickly, but prices on Clorox wipes are inflated so perhaps you should only buy them if you have an urgent need.

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Amazon Logo See Pricing

Hand soap

Just as important as hand sanitizer is hand soap, and there are plenty of great options in stock and ready to ship at Amazon. The CDC says to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds when you touch surfaces or objects that might be contaminated.

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Tissues

Facial tissues are included on the CDC’s list of must-have products, and it’s pretty obvious why. There are plenty of top brands in stock right now in Amazon’s tissue section, including Puffs Plus sold directly by Amazon.

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Paper towels

Grocery-hoarding of paper towels at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in the US was nowhere near as bad as the run on toilet paper, and that continues to be the case. Paper towels never expire and you’ll always need them, so you might as well stock up on paper towels while some decent options are shipping out right away.

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If you also need toilet paper, there’s plenty in stock — even Charmin!

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Bottled water

Pandemic or no pandemic, many people stock up on bottled water during the winter months just to be safe. You’ll find tons of great options in Amazon’s bottled water section.

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No-touch trash can

Last but certainly not least is a product that most people probably didn’t think much about until now: trash cans. The CDC says that everyone should have no-touch trash cans in their homes and offices, especially in common spaces where several different people are likely to use the trash can.

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Maren Estrada Deals Editor

Maren Estrada has been the Editor of BGR Deals since it launched in 2013. She has more than 20 years of experience testing more than 1,500 products, and reviewing a wide range of consumer electronics including mobile devices, smart home products, computers, and home appliances.

Previously, she was a leading consultant specializing in copywriting, product development, and new product launches.