Coronavirus prep

24567…743

Replies

  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 2,950 Member
    edited March 2020
    Hahahaa... I guess people the world over consider toilet paper an essential. There was a run on it in Hong Kong. In my Aldi (TX) the toilet paper shelves were bare Friday. I didn't associate that with the pandemic, though. :D

    ETA: And DH, who normally has little to add to the grocery list, has twice asked me to get toilet paper. And it's not like we were running low either time he asked.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,894 Member
    edited March 2020
    cmriverside wrote: »
    p.s. I'm in WA. I guess if anyone I really *should* be panicky? What's with the State of Emergency because one already sick man died?

    alllll righty. Time to get off the internet.

    People seem to react to everything by hoarding stuff. Happens with weather things. Supposedly the idea is that if there is an outbreak in your area avoiding crowded areas like stores is recommended. I am not worried about doing that (unless I were to get sick or find out I was exposed, of course), but I think the bigger concern is stores running out of stuff.

    (Apparently some places local to me have run out of masks -- which I would not buy anyway -- and hand sanitizer, although I was at the store as normal yesterday and didn't notice any weird activity. I didn't go to Costco, though.)

    And, ha, ha, as a result of this discussion I seem to be getting ads for masks.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,894 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    I'm a bit worried for my parents, as they are in their 70s and it seems to be more of a problem for seniors. We live in the vicinity of UVA and spring break is coming up with lots of students traveling and returning (including international students going home). They've had their flu shots but generally refuse the pneumonia vaccine.

    I don't tend to worry about this kind of stuff, but my dad and his wife (70s and late 60s) live in Mexico in the winter and I've vaguely wondered if he's going to get stuck there if they close the border (which was something threatened and seems like something that would happen). His wife is a retired nurse and is currently volunteering at a hospital, so I suppose if it comes to where they are she would be at a greater risk. (If they weren't there they'd be in Washington, though.)
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    cmriverside wrote: »
    But...


    Okay. I don't have TV and I don't look at the news.

    Ya'll - WHY are people stripping grocery shelves? Are we being locked into our houses? Do they think it is going to blow over in a week? Are all the food supply chains being shut down by the government? I don't understand...you guys are kind of freaking me out but I don't really know why.

    giphy.gif

    Along with the other responses to your question - I think people believe that the US will start implementing quarantines as some other countries have done. I know that people are being asked to self-quarantine if they are at risk. In fact someone I work with self-quarantined for two weeks. The rumor is that he was asked to do so by senior management but I don't know if that's true. Regardless, I think people are basically expecting the supply chain to fall apart and simultaneously to be quarantined for 14-30 days if they or anyone they know get sick.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,224 Member
    I would think the concern and urge to accumulate supplies is (possibly) less about the pending apocalypse or a global pandemic wiping out massive portions of the population, and more that even now there are supply chain issues (In some sectors) due to the number of ill and quarantined workers overseas (particularly, but not exclusively in China).

    Even aspirin becomes a commodity when the factories that make it are closed and local supplies dwindle and can’t be replenished.

    I live in a state that is still shell shocked from multiple periods where grocery stores & gas stations were inaccessible for weeks after storms (no power) and nobody here is making a run for those kinds of supplies (yet).
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 26,351 Member
    NicbPNW wrote: »
    I'm in Washington state, pretty close to the confirmed cases and yes, I'm a tad worried. Not in a panic, but being cautious. I have little kids and have asthma myself so I don't want any of us catching ANYTHING that could land us in the hospital.

    I'm wondering why is everyone stockpiling toilet paper?!?! That is selling out as quick as water around here!

    That could be related to P&G's announcement that they expect disruption in their supply chain, which include toilet paper.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 26,351 Member
    edited March 2020
    Duck_Puddle wrote: »
    I would think the concern and urge to accumulate supplies is (possibly) less about the pending apocalypse or a global pandemic wiping out massive portions of the population, and more that even now there are supply chain issues (In some sectors) due to the number of ill and quarantined workers overseas (particularly, but not exclusively in China).

    Even aspirin becomes a commodity when the factories that make it are closed and local supplies dwindle and can’t be replenished.

    I live in a state that is still shell shocked from multiple periods where grocery stores & gas stations were inaccessible for weeks after storms (no power) and nobody here is making a run for those kinds of supplies (yet).

    Ya, a few days ago I was looking for an item to get my walmart.com order up to the free shipping minimum of $35, thought of the ibuprofen I get from Walmart, and that was OOS. Might be a coincidence, might not.

Categories