Price gouging during shortage of virus masks. High price of masks and surging demand during the quarantine in United States, Europe. Pile of anti virus surgical face masks and money. Concept.

The hysteria surrounding the spread of new coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States has lead to a run on hand sanitizer and face masks so grand that stores have been limiting how much of the product a customer can buy during a single trip. Similar to mass hoarding, this consumer habit has driven remarkable demand for hand sanitizer and masks. Demand so great that people are willing to be price gouged just to secure their own supply.

Not wanting to be associated with the unethical practice of price gouging, Ebay has banned sales of masks and hand sanitizer from its website, reports the Los Angeles Times.

The e-commerce company issued a statement saying that it will not only block new listings of the products, but it will also remove existing listings involving N95/N100 masks and surgical masks, hand sanitizer and gel and disinfecting wipes. The company says it is also removing any product that eludes to COVID-19, coronavirus or 2019nCoV.

Ebay is far from the only company to be hurt by price gouging. TheTimes reports that Walmart has been having issues managing price gouging from third-party sellers. Amazon has similar issues.

Instead of trying to score a hand sanitizer supply, some Americans are trying to make their own. Oddly enough, a craft alcohol company has had to tell people not to use its vodka to make homemade hand sanitizer.