Home HEALTH Families With Food Allergies Struggle With Bare Shelves – The New York Times

Families With Food Allergies Struggle With Bare Shelves – The New York Times

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Families With Food Allergies Struggle With Bare Shelves – The New York Times

As the coronavirus spreads and locked-down communities stock up, products needed by allergy sufferers are increasingly hard to come by.Scant offerings at a grocery store in Brooklyn last month.Credit…Sarah Blesener for The New York TimesLike many Americans these days, Lisa M. Delmont is kept up at night by worry. But for Ms. Delmont, it’s the empty grocery store shelves that bring on dread.Her 2-year-old son, Benjamin, is severely allergic to milk, eggs, cashews, pistachios and bananas, so she has to be judicious about the items she brings home. Exposure to the wrong food could send Benjamin into anaphylactic shock, something that has happened three times since he was born.“I am way more terrified of taking him to an E.R. now than I’ve ever been,” said Ms. Delmont, 35, of Jacksonville, N.C.The rush to stock up on food in response to the coronavirus pandemic has put an extra strain on the millions of Americans with food allergies who were already restricted in what they can safely eat.Ms. Delmont, a part-time registered nurse, has gone to great lengths to find products that won’t cause a reaction, researching ingredients, emailing manufacturers and cooking meals from scratch. Without access to certain brands — Ms. Delmont said her local store was sold out of many foods — her options are more limited than ever.For now, Benjamin will have to eat a lot of beans. “They might not be the most exciting of meals,” she said, “but they won’t kill him, either.”Ms. Delmont isn’t the only one hunting far and wide for harmless foods.After the pandemic began to spread in the United States, Kelley D. Lord, of Orlando, Fla., wasn’t able to find the brand of pasta she makes for her 12-year-old son, Mason, who is allergic to eggs. She asked a friend — who lives nearly 400 miles away in Columbus, Ga. — to check out a nearby shop. The friend found the pasta, confirmed it was the right one in a text message, and shipped it to Ms. Lord.“It’s so scary when your child has an allergy, because it’s literally a life-or-death situation,” said Ms. Lord, 50, who runs a travel agency and is herself allergic to peanuts and onions. “You can’t substitute something else.”Even before the coronavirus outbreak, grocery shopping was stressful for people with food allergies. The federal government requires companies to tell consumers when particular ingredients are used. If something is made with one of eight types of foods — milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and tree nuts — the company must declare it on the label.This alerts people to potentially dangerous ingredients, but not all allergens are on that list. In addition, companies sometimes need to warn consumers about possible “cross-contact” with allergens, telling them that something “may contain” peanuts, which can create more confusion.Alicia M. Ames, of Elbridge, N.Y., said her 4-year-old son, Jackson, is allergic to sesame, eggs, peanuts and legumes. Sesame is not part of the Food and Drug Administration’s labeling law, and its presence is sometimes hidden under obscure descriptions like “natural flavors” or “spices.”More than one million children and adults are estimated to have a sesame allergy, and the F.D.A. is considering adding it to the list of allergens that manufacturers must include on packages.Ms. Ames bakes her own bread, but her supplies of safe flour and yeast are running low. “Our worry is that these foods aren’t going to be available, and what are we going to feed our family?” said Ms. Ames, 32, a musician.Her unease is shared by others across the country.Recently, Elana D. Zimmerman put on gloves and a mask and ventured out to many grocery stores in her neighborhood on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She did it again the next day. And the day after that. Ms. Zimmerman, 36, has a 1-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old son, both with severe allergies.Laura C. Schorn, of Aurora, Colo., has been going to stores at various times in the day, hoping to catch a lucky break and arrive after a restock. Ms. Schorn, who has an intolerance to wheat and soy, said she has left stores crying, feeling defeated.“My fear right now is less that I’m going to get the virus and more that if I do get it and I become quarantined, I’m not going to have enough food to get through it,” said Ms. Schorn, 25, who works as a supervisor at a restaurant chain.On a recent Sunday, Eric J. Payne, of Hollis, Maine, found himself staring at empty store shelves. His 3-year-old son, Elijah, is allergic to dairy, egg, cashews and pistachios. Produce and meat were almost entirely gone. Flour was completely sold out.“The hoarding is the concern for us,” said Mr. Payne, 33, a marine biologist whose wife, Kimberly, also has food allergies. “Be mindful of others. Be mindful of the allergy kids.”Some companies that cater to people with dietary restrictions are feeling the crush of demand.Oatly, a Swedish oat milk company that has expanded its presence in the United States in recent years, has seen purchase orders and requests from retailers “increase by orders of magnitude,” said Mike F. Messersmith, the president of Oatly’s North America operations.To meet the surge, Mr. Messersmith said, the company has made more of its products available on its website and is keeping its facility in Millville, N.J., running during the coronavirus crisis.Other companies said that demand has been sharply higher than usual — including MadeGood, which specializes in granola, cookies and other foods free of several allergens, and King Arthur Flour, which makes a gluten-free flour.Lisa G. Gable, the chief executive of Food Allergy Research & Education, a nonprofit organization in McLean, Va., is concerned about the diminishing options. She is calling on shoppers to consider those with food allergies when filling their grocery carts.“Be aware of that as you’re pulling these things off the shelves,” Ms. Gable said. “The ability to substitute food is something that keeps them alive and healthy and out of emergency rooms.”

Updated April 4, 2020

Should I wear a mask?
The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.

What should I do if I feel sick?
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.

How do I get tested?
If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested.

How does coronavirus spread?
It seems to spread very easily from person to person, especially in homes, hospitals and other confined spaces. The pathogen can be carried on tiny respiratory droplets that fall as they are coughed or sneezed out. It may also be transmitted when we touch a contaminated surface and then touch our face.

Is there a vaccine yet?
No. The first testing in humans of an experimental vaccine began in mid-March. Such rapid development of a potential vaccine is unprecedented, but even if it is proved safe and effective, it probably will not be available for 12 to18 months.

What makes this outbreak so different?
Unlike the flu, there is no known treatment or vaccine, and little is known about this particular virus so far. It seems to be more lethal than the flu, but the numbers are still uncertain. And it hits the elderly and those with underlying conditions — not just those with respiratory diseases — particularly hard.

What if somebody in my family gets sick?
If the family member doesn’t need hospitalization and can be cared for at home, you should help him or her with basic needs and monitor the symptoms, while also keeping as much distance as possible, according to guidelines issued by the C.D.C. If there’s space, the sick family member should stay in a separate room and use a separate bathroom. If masks are available, both the sick person and the caregiver should wear them when the caregiver enters the room. Make sure not to share any dishes or other household items and to regularly clean surfaces like counters, doorknobs, toilets and tables. Don’t forget to wash your hands frequently.

Should I stock up on groceries?
Plan two weeks of meals if possible. But people should not hoard food or supplies. Despite the empty shelves, the supply chain remains strong. And remember to wipe the handle of the grocery cart with a disinfecting wipe and wash your hands as soon as you get home.

Can I go to the park?
Yes, but make sure you keep six feet of distance between you and people who don’t live in your home. Even if you just hang out in a park, rather than go for a jog or a walk, getting some fresh air, and hopefully sunshine, is a good idea.

Should I pull my money from the markets?
That’s not a good idea. Even if you’re retired, having a balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds so that your money keeps up with inflation, or even grows, makes sense. But retirees may want to think about having enough cash set aside for a year’s worth of living expenses and big payments needed over the next five years.

What should I do with my 401(k)?
Watching your balance go up and down can be scary. You may be wondering if you should decrease your contributions — don’t! If your employer matches any part of your contributions, make sure you’re at least saving as much as you can to get that “free money.”

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