Mass hysteria has hit grocery stores around the nation. Markets in the U.S. are being ransacked by many Americans worried about the COVID-19 outbreak; however, the stockpiling actions are affecting many with shortages of necessities such as toilet paper, water, food, baby products, disinfecting wipes, etc.
Pictures of elderly, the ones most at risk of the virus, are surfacing the internet with lengthy paragraphs about the selfish acts of how stockpiling are affecting them and those with underlying conditions.
Stores such as H-E-B have changed their hours of operation drastically in order to restock and to accommodate the huge demand for toilet paper and water. Lines wrap around the local Calallen H-E-B starting at 6 a.m. with people waiting for the store to open at 8 a.m. Supplies are even out of stock on online stores such as Amazon.
This hysteria stems from the lack of knowledge about the Coronavirus and the effects it has on people. While yes, the spread of the Coronavirus is rapid and alarming, those most at risk, according to China Centre for Disease Control & Prevention, are people over the age of 60 and/or already have an underlying condition. The severity risk with pre-existing conditions starts with cardiovascular disease at a 10.5 percent lethal rate, diabetes at 7.3 percent, chronic respiratory disease at 6.3 percent, abnormally high blood pressure 6 percent, cancer 5.6 percent and no existing conditions 0.9 percent. According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19 has mild symptoms similar to the flu and recovery is in about two weeks. Compared to other diseases such as Bird flu, Ebola, MERS, smallpox, polio, tuberculosis and SARS, the fatality rate of COVID-19 is very low.
The best thing we can do as a community is drop the “save yourself” mindset and come together, ease our paranoia, stop stockpiling, and take care of our personal hygiene. While it’s smart to prepare for a 30-day period in order to stagger visits and contact with other people, stockpiling for months is not; don’t take more than you need and leave the rest for others to have. Washing your hands consistently, carrying sanitizer, limiting contact with groups of people, wearing a mask if you’re sick and not touching your face will keep you safe from the virus.
