state of emergency

[Flattybasher9]

There's a certain individual on Facebook selling individual sheets of loo roll at £10:00 a pop. What a cheek 

Malky

[Nick_Ips]

News websites and social media are making it worse by whipping people up into a frenzy...

Completely agree. The BBC news website has just uncritically republished someone's tweet claiming 'Ridiculous scenes' in the Tesco at Colney Hatch*.

The picture they have posted showing this 'riot' simply shows what you'd see in any 24-hour Tesco while the staff restock the shelves - boxes of stock on the floor waiting to be opened and put on the shelf. You can even see the metal "cages" the staff use during the restocking process.

The uninformed people adding comments are getting confused and assuming the stuff on the floor has been thrown/dropped there by some kind of rioting mob.

The people attempting to point out the absolute normality of what can be seen in the picture are being ignored, or contradicted by others who obviously have never set foot inside a 24-hour Tesco during the night-shift.

[*The Tesco in question is just down the road from the infamous 'lunatic' asylum. Quite apt in some ways.]

[Caw1]

What concerns me with all this panic buying by those that can afford to 'stockpile' everyday essentials..... what about people who can only afford to buy a weeks worth of goods at a time, it's so very irresponsible and selfish to not think about others needs in a time such as this which is quite unprecedented.

The media, as usual, have a great deal to answer for whipping people into a frenzy despite being told by the government there is enough for everyone.

The supermarkets also need to take responsibility for not allowing people to buy trolley loads of toilet paper, tins, pasta, milk cartons making sure there is enough for all. They've put restrictions in when it's really to late now.

I feel very fortunate that I am able to make sure that we have sufficeient items we will require for the next few weeks without going mental. Being of a certain age where we could be required to stay at home we'll be fine.

Let's hope that everyone can cope and it may make people think about how and what they cook!

Keeping fingers crossed we can all get through this and come out the other side without too much suffering both in our personal lives and for businesses of any size being able to hang on.

Caroline

[pharmaT]

What concerns me with all this panic buying by those that can afford to 'stockpile' everyday essentials..... what about people who can only afford to buy a weeks worth of goods at a time, it's so very irresponsible and selfish to not think about others needs in a time such as this which is quite unprecedented.

The media, as usual, have a great deal to answer for whipping people into a frenzy despite being told by the government there is enough for everyone.

The supermarkets also need to take responsibility for not allowing people to buy trolley loads of toilet paper, tins, pasta, milk cartons making sure there is enough for all. They've put restrictions in when it's really to late now.

I feel very fortunate that I am able to make sure that we have sufficeient items we will require for the next few weeks without going mental. Being of a certain age where we could be required to stay at home we'll be fine.

Let's hope that everyone can cope and it may make people think about how and what they cook!

Keeping fingers crossed we can all get through this and come out the other side without too much suffering both in our personal lives and for businesses of any size being able to hang on.

Caroline

Absolutely.  I'm still stunned at the number of people who are buying massive amounts saying it's because they have nothing in the house.  If they have enough money to buy that much why would not have a certain amount of a store at home

[jillruss]

HERD MENTALITY!

How apt, especially in this context!

I'm glad I just took the time to read this thread. I'd done my regular Tesco shop for next week but hadn't booked my delivery date. There is absolutely nothing available for next week - the best I could do was Monday 23. I suspect the delivery prices have gone up as well!

I haven't included toilet roll - I still haven't quite worked out what toilet roll has to do with the Corona Virus??? None of the lists of symptoms include the runs....

I'm sure people were much kinder to each other in the past - now it just seems that everyone is out for themselves and heaven help you if you get in their way!!

As for the media, unbelievable! Its wall to wall virus - if they'd just stick to that pair of experts who stand either side of Boris giving us sensible, scientific advice in a very reassuring way, I think that would have been sufficient but, no, they have to scare us half to death with their 'we're all doomed' approach in order to justify their 24 hour rolling news remit which basically comprises repeating everythng over and over again ad nauseam.

[Flattybasher9]

I think that hearing parts of Spain has been put on a lockdown, (from the media report) and people cannot go outside, has a bit to do with panic buying. But then at the end of the newscast, they quietly state that individuals can go out for shopping or medicines. The catch 22 situation with that, is who is serving in the shops and chemists if movement restrictions apply unless for the 2 reasons stated. The media is the centre of confusion, again.

Malky

[Nick_Ips]

As for the media, unbelievable! Its wall to wall virus - if they'd just stick to that pair of experts who stand either side of Boris giving us sensible, scientific advice in a very reassuring way, I think that would have been sufficient but, no, they have to scare us half to death with their 'we're all doomed' approach in order to justify their 24 hour rolling news remit which basically comprises repeating everythng over and over again ad nauseam.

This x1,000,000.

For all our faults this country (the UK) has systems in place to ensure people get stuff when they really need it. Local Government by law has to develop plans for civil emergencies, and we have armed forces who are well trained and organised to assist in times of need.

There are some elements of the media (including social media) that have become almost obsessed with criticising the government whatever they do, and that really isn't helping us right now.

Many of the important decisions and actions that need to be taken to deal with Covid will in any event be the responsibility of non-political civil servants and local government officers, as well as staff in the NHS and emergency services.

People need to be able to trust the government machine (the whole organisation, not just the politicians) because that is the best way to avoid panic and other undesirable outcomes.

There will be mistakes made, and after the worst is over people will need to be held accountable. But in the meantime it does none of us much good to have elements of the media and ill-informed commentators constantly seeking to undermine the government for political (or some other) motives.

My guess is that in the coming weeks the supermarkets will be getting help with additional staff and vehicles to make home deliveries. That isn't based on any inside info, it is just the logical response to deal with a situation where stocks of products are available, but the logistical operation to deliver them to people needs additional support. Luckily we have people and vehicles that could be put to good use in that way.

[Llwyd]

If the thieving class will stoop to stealing from hospitals and, as I read in the paper today, toilet rolls from a church in Norfolk, then I must assume any food convoys will need guards to prevent the would-be Dick Turpin's from nicking the goods.

[Llwyd]

Ooops - error.