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Comment by megous | Hacker News Reader

Question is about disruptions caused by people's reaction to the outbreak, not the virus itself.

Stuff like this: https://www.ibtimes.sg/wuhan-virus-italy-supermarkets-are-ru...

The freaking panic is already starting in my country too. People buying up food in 10x the quantities than the usual shopping visit, etc..

I've gone shopping yesterday, when the virus was found in the country next to mine, to buy enough food for a week, just to avoid the inevitable initial panic that's starting today, when the first case appeared in my country.

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It's not panic. It's reality. Many of us did the same. I went with 2 weeks worth of food, water and toiletries and we already have the usual stock which including refrigirated stuff should be enough for full month if needed. When you see small towns put into quarantine in Europe allowing people in and out only with 'written permission' you know you should prepare family and yourself asap. Get food, water, medicine and everything that might make life easier for you and your family during weeks of quarantine.

Well, I saw a lady who bought out a full cart of flour packages yesterday. There was last 1kg package of salt, and around 6 packages of flour left on the shelf. (normally there's ~200) Yes, it's not a generalized panic, but individual people like that can really screw up the shopping experience for others.

Is it panicking? Dunno, maybe she's just setting up a flour shop, or has 50 hungry necks to feed. But it was certainly unusual.

We regularly buy 10kg of flour because we have a bread maker. The last time I bought bread (not counting when on holiday) is 3.5 years ago. 10kg is enough for over a week.

Full cart is a bit much though if it's like 50kg+

My wife was in a pretty typical Walgreens today and noted that there was a sign in front saying that they didn't have any masks left and that they didn't know when they were going to get more. Inside, there were a number of sections besides masks that were completely empty.

This Walgreens is in Mountain View, a few miles from the main Google campus in California.

>The freaking panic is already starting in my country too. People buying up food in 10x the quantities than the usual shopping visit, etc..

>I've gone shopping yesterday, when the virus was found in the country next to mine

What's the old saying? "You're not sitting in traffic, you are the traffic." :)

All animals panic even in minor danger.

What country are you in, if you don’t mind me asking?

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