People have been clearing grocery aisles of toilet paper, peanut butter and pasta as they prepare to hunker down at home during the coronavirus pandemic. Now, liquor is the next must-have item for many consumers wondering how they are going to cope during the current global public health crisis.

Suddenly, having a well-stocked liquor cabinet has become a priority.

“It’s been insane,” said Vince Grace, a sales associate at Astor Wines & Spirits in Manhattan, which experienced a rush of customers stocking up on drinks from grain alcohol to wine Thursday night. Inexpensive wine was especially popular, Mr. Grace said.

“People are just buying up whatever they can,” he said.

Drizly, an alcohol-delivery service based in Boston, said its growth rate of sales had increased by 50 percent since news of the virus began to spread. In Seattle, Chicago and Boston, sales of wine, beer and liquor this week were up 300 to 500 percent compared to sales in January, according to the company.

“Yesterday was our largest day ever, inclusive of New Year’s and Halloween, which are our busiest times,” said Cory Rellas, Drizly’s chief executive. “It feels like this is the week where there is a change in the psyche as people realize that they’re going to be working from home for more than a couple of days.”