SASKATOON -- Premier Scott Moe reminded people to be reasonable when doing their grocery shopping.

"Buy what you need. There is no need for us to hoard," he said at a press conference Monday.

"At this point we do not believe that the coronavirus itself is going to cause shortages in our grocery stores. But hoarding most certainly will. So don't do it."

Late last week, after the province announced its first presumptive positive cases of COVID-19, CTV News visited several stores in Saskatoon that were either running low on or sold out of items like toilet paper, disinfectant wipes and bleach.

J-Lynn's Your Independent Grocer in Saskatoon announced it will open an hour earlier for certain shoppers.

“Senior customers or people with low immune systems can now shop before the store opens,” a sign on the store reads.

Federal Health Minister Patty Hajdu advised Canadians only buy supplies for a two-week period.

“Remember your neighbours, those people who buy just in time. Buy what you need. Be kind to one another,” Hajdu told reporters on Monday.

Health Canada advises filling cupboards with non-perishable food items, so that a person does not need to go shopping if they become sick – or to minimize trips in the event of a serious COVID-19 outbreak.

It is easier on the supply chain if people gradually build up their household stores instead of making large-scale purchases all at once, the agency says.