Putting cows on the front page since 1885.

Please. Stop Panic Buying.

Ink Splatters

By ALLAN J. BASSLER

Publisher

Can we please stop panic buying?

My daughter Helena and I were making the rounds last week, just as the first “quit going anywhere” order came down.

We were looking for some basics for the weekend ahead: Milk, bread, eggs, frozen pizzas. We thought we’d dash into a local grocery store, pick up what we needed and be on our way in minutes.

I see now that we were fools. Instead of the usual rows of shelves stocked in the good old American way with a tremendous variety of colorful products, we found row after row of emptiness. There were entire sections bought out of everything. The only bread left were the uncut loaves that were about 10 minutes from being moved to the “Reduced for Quick Sale” shelf. The only milk available was not milk. Eggs had flown the coop. And toilet paper – Ha! Not a roll to be seen.

The situation has not gotten much better. A series of quick stops in other grocery stores and dollar stores has not produced better results. I am still usually met by empty shelves where basics should be.

OK, everyone, this is crazy and has to stop.

This virus is not like an impending snowstorm. We’re not going to be physically trapped in our houses for weeks, unable to even shove open our front door.

This is not like the Cove has flooded and there’s a new river of rushing brown water between our houses and our grocery stores.

No, this is different.

Even states that have placed everyone on lookdown are still permitting grocery stores to remain open. People are allowed to venture out to get the groceries that they need.

There’s no indication that any lockdown would prevent you from being able to get into your car, drive to the grocery store, buy milk, bread, eggs and toilet paper and then drive home. You can probably do this twice a week without being arrested by a state trooper.

Even if you were stopped by law enforcement, telling them that you are heading to the grocery store is likely to get you off the hook.

Your groceries are going to be there. You can go get them when you need them or have someone pick them up for you. Or you can take advantage of delivery services. You can get them.

There is no indication that any lockdown at any level of severity is going to keep you from being able to get the things that you need.

So, can we stop the panic buying? Please?

Even the state’s secretary of agriculture is asking people to stop hoarding because it is hurting Pennsylvania's food banks.

Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding on March 24 urged Pennsylvanians to return to their “normal shopping habits” to allow the supply chain to recover and allow enough essentials for all. Over-purchasing affects the whole food supply system, particularly the charitable food system that is currently working overtime to meet increased demands as thousands of Pennsylvanians are finding themselves out of work as a result of necessary COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

You can watch the secretary’s plea here: https://pacast.com/m?p=17908

Why

I ask not for me. My daughter and I will be fine, as will my wife and our dogs.

But the more vulnerable among us should not be going out much at all, let alone making repeated trips to multiple stores, looking for a few basic items.

Older folks (over 60), those with respiratory vulnerabilities or immune system deficiencies shouldn’t be going out much at all.

If those people have to make multiple trips to get a few basics, the risk of them encountering the virus increases dramatically. And if such persons encounter the virus, they are much more likely to get sick and die.

Surely you snagging that fifth loaf of bread and an eighth pack of toilet paper is not worth the death of a member of the Cove community.

Thanks for reading.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 
Rendered 03/24/2024 15:21