Coronavirus linked to lower gas prices

At a number of places around town, gas prices have fallen below $2.00, and experts say it's because of the coronavirus. There is less of a demand in China, which is causing a ripple effect in the United States.

According to gasbuddy.com, the average price per gallon in Bryan/College Station is $2.06. The lowest price per gallon is $1.88.

"I'm loving it. I had to stop," said Lilly Webb, a Huntsville resident speaking about the lower gas prices.

"It's exciting for a guy driving a motor home," said Carl Underwood, a traveler driving from Arkansas to South Texas.

Texas A&M clinical professor Detleff Hallerman says while China is trying to control the coronavirus they've shut down their economy.

"As a result of that nobody is on the road driving, nobody is flying, the refineries are at minimal levels, so the demand for crude oil going from the United States into China has dropped down to marginal levels," said Hallerman.

Hallerman says it's hard to speculate how long it will last, but it could be for a little while.

"We don't want that to happen in the sense of people getting sick, but at the same time that shortage of demand in China is giving benefit to us here in the United States," said Hallerman.