Coronavirus....why are people stocking up on water and worrying about electricity being out?

[Xahm]

I did buy some extra peanut butter and some children's ibuprofen. It was funny because people were posting pictures of Sam's being completely wiped of stock, but when I was at Kroger, which is a very popular option in our town, they had plenty of everything. Maybe people planning to resell?

[Arcadia]

7 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Must admit I saw some headline about power outage in Nashville or something while scrolling and thought of this thread.  Hopefully they all stocked up for coronavirus.

AP news https://apnews.com/795688aab981d4e8220042c20e095b55

“NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tornadoes ripped across Tennessee early Tuesday, shredding at least 40 buildings and killing at least nine people. One of the twisters caused severe damage across downtown Nashville.

Daybreak revealed a landscape littered with blown-down walls and roofs, snapped power lines and huge broken trees, leaving city streets in gridlock. Schools, courts, transit lines, an airport and the state capitol were closed, and some damaged polling stations had to be moved only hours before Super Tuesday voting began. 

“Last night was a reminder about how fragile life is,” Nashville Mayor John Cooper said at a Tuesday morning news conference.”

[mumto2]

We always keep and use bottled water so we were simply bringing our supply back to normal last weekend.  Many of our neighbors also buy water normally so I think the prepping has cleared the shelves in some stores.  Supplies on everything except hand cleaner are back up from the weekend from what we could see yesterday.

[marbel]

1 hour ago, happysmileylady said:

Man, a run on bananas would be like the end of the world for our house.  That and peanut butter lol.  

There was a family in front of me in line, mom dad, and 6 kids....they had three overflowing carts PLUS one of those huge flat roller things.  It was obvious they were doing all their shopping for the entire month and not pandemic stock up.  

When I was there, they had one guy who's only job at that time was to direct people to which check out lane to get in lol.  He was controlling the traffic pretty well though and the cashiers were very nice and were pretty much flying through the check out process.  For as crazy as it was, it was also running fairly smooth and people were nice.  

See, I think some people would look at that and think "crazy preppers" even though a little thinking would probably get them past that.

Around here the stores are crazy whenever there is the slightest thread of snow. I don't like to drive in snow, so I get it. But it is hard when a shopping trip for regular stuff is assumed by others to be crazily prepping. Yeah, I need milk and eggs... 'cause we use a lot of milk and eggs. 

I haven't actually seen any people stocking up because I haven't had to shop much lately; I've just read some comments on it on facebook, etc. I do need to do some shopping soon; as I've got a kid coming home for spring break. That creates a stock-up situation in my house. Hmm, just realized I should have bought toilet paper last Costco trip. I always send some back to the dorms after a visit... 🙂

And, yea for Costco. I have been there during some crazy times and they keep things moving! Though  my husband tells me there are now some self-check aisles, so it gets even better. 

ETA: I appreciate people give their insights. Lots of things I had not thought of, living in a large metropolitan area with generally mildish weather. (SE PA; we do get some snow, though not really this year.)

Edited March 3, 2020 by marbel

[sassenach]

13 hours ago, Arcadia said:

Safeway has plenty. Grocery outlet too. ETA: I mean toilet paper and bottled water 

lol, my Safeway on Sunday

[prairiewindmomma]

I don't buy uncrustables, but they are very popular with the elementary school crowd.....and perhaps their thought process was that it was something the kids could "make" themselves if mom and dad were seriously ill? 

I know I've given some very serious thought as to how everyone would stay fed if both my dh and I were ill.  He and I both got a really nasty influenza bug at Christmas time....the cannot even get out of bed kind.  The kids used up my freezer meal stash.  I still haven't gotten around to re-stocking it because I'm still recovering from surgery.  So, right now, my kids would be eating rice and microwavable lentils + pb&j if my dh and I became really ill again. 

[Pen]

9 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

I don't buy uncrustables, but they are very popular with the elementary school crowd.....and perhaps their thought process was that it was something the kids could "make" themselves if mom and dad were seriously ill? 

I know I've given some very serious thought as to how everyone would stay fed if both my dh and I were ill.  He and I both got a really nasty influenza bug at Christmas time....the cannot even get out of bed kind.  The kids used up my freezer meal stash.  I still haven't gotten around to re-stocking it because I'm still recovering from surgery.  So, right now, my kids would be eating rice and microwavable lentils + pb&j if my dh and I became really ill again. 

 

Start cooking lessons? 

[mathnerd]

12 hours ago, Arctic Mama said:

Okay but, I laughed and thought of all of you on here when I saw this 🤫

 

https://twitter.com/erinosgood_/status/1233876346549366784?s=21

 

Exactly this thought went through my mind as well when I saw trays of samples which were being touched by multiple hands. It did not make sense to me to eat food left in the open during an epidemic.

as to the op’s question, people in my area (some of them) are terrified that the pandemic will spread and essential services employees might get infected and water service might get polluted with virus or get cut off and electricity cut off because all of pg&e employees are put into isolation, the situation gets worse than a natural disaster etc.

so, it is good to have toilet paper, drinking water, some canned food until government  figures out a way to airdrop emergency supplies using drones (I made it up, but you get the picture!)

Edited March 3, 2020 by mathnerd

[prairiewindmomma]

18 minutes ago, Pen said:

 

Start cooking lessons? 

Yes, have been doing so for years but my boys are remarkably bad at it. Their learning disabilities & attention issues factor in here. I just started working with my newly 7 and 11 yos a year or so ago and they are about as capable as the boys, but have been exposed mostly to just baking.  I should push them towards specific meals, I think. 

[Pen]

22 minutes ago, mathnerd said:

Exactly this thought went through my mind as well when I saw trays of samples which were being touched by multiple hands. It did not make sense to me to eat food left in the open during an epidemic.

as to the op’s question, people in my area (some of them) are terrified that the pandemic will spread and essential services employees might get infected and water service might get polluted with virus or get cut off and electricity cut off because all of pg&e employees are put into isolation, the situation gets worse than a natural disaster etc.

so, it is good to have toilet paper, drinking water, some canned food until government  figures out a way to airdrop emergency supplies using drones (I made it up, but you get the picture!)

 

Or until rocks can be stacked in such a way as to collect condensation, which then yields some water to drink...    or similar can sometimes be done in other ways if no rocks are to be had.. 

but there are emergency living methods that don’t have to necessarily depend on government.  Government (people) may be sick . 

 

[Lady Florida.]

16 hours ago, Tap said:

I am really trying to understand. Just continuing the conversation, feel free to not reply if you feel like I a picking on you.  Why would the virus be part of a double whammy? It doesn't affect water/electricity. This is one of the  worst flu seasons in the past 10 years. People aren't stocking up on flu supplies.  Wouldn't people who live in those areas already have a stock of water if they felt they needed it? I guess my question is.....why prepare now?  Aside from a few people who may be rotating stock, or setting up new supplies/adding for extra people, it doesn't explain the masses of people making a huge run for water. 
 

I don't get it either, nor am I doing anything to prepare for the virus. As of early February the flu had already killed  around 12,000 people in the U.S. alone. Many more were hospitalized. And somehow people are neither panicking, stocking up, nor lining up for the flu vaccine. 

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/health/flu-killing-more-people-than-coronavirus-facts/65-282b84b4-0e9f-4501-a569-915417bf474f

Edited March 3, 2020 by Lady Florida.

[Lady Florida.]

13 hours ago, Arctic Mama said:

Okay but, I laughed and thought of all of you on here when I saw this 🤫

 

https://twitter.com/erinosgood_/status/1233876346549366784?s=21

 

If I had been sipping a drink when I read this I would have spit it on my screen! 😂

5 hours ago, Quill said:

I think it’s like the first few posters, Pawz, Allison, Arctic, said: people *think* they should “be prepared” and if they don’t have a logical list of what that means, they just stock up on whatever things they see other people buying and/or on what they usually buy. 

 

Here in Florida our idea of being prepared is preparing for a hurricane. That actually seems to be the best considering we're used to being without power and possibly without water. Our usual hurricane supplies are water and non-perishable food that doesn't need cooking. Most homes here are all electric*, including stoves, so that means no cooking, or at best cooking on a grill. 

*Gas stoves are becoming more accessible, and our new house will have a gas stove. 

1 hour ago, Medicmom2.0 said:

Nobody I know personally is giving coronavirus a second thought, not even my friends who are high up in the state department of health and privy to all kinds of information I’m not.  I am really concerned about the flu, but not to prepper levels.  I don’t actually understand the hysteria at all, except that the media and social media are fanning it.  
 

Same here. We have 3 nurses (ddil and 2 nieces) in the family and a paramedic (dss). They aren't in a panic or hearing about any local preparations. No one I know personally is even talking about it much. I've only seen it discussed here and among non-local fb friends. Again, the flu is a bigger concern as it continues to quietly kill while people are focused on Covid-19.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Lady Florida.

[historically accurate]

8 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

I don't get it either, nor am I doing anything to prepare for the virus. As of early February the flu had already killed  around 12,000 people in the U.S. alone. Many more were hospitalized. Ans somehow people are neither panicking, stocking up, nor lining up for the flu vaccine. 

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/health/flu-killing-more-people-than-coronavirus-facts/65-282b84b4-0e9f-4501-a569-915417bf474f

 

I think the difference in my mind is I don't get legally quarantined if I am exposed to the flu. I can still go to Walgreens down the street and stand in a line for Rx or run into the grocery store to buy some milk or stop at a Redbox to get a movie to entertain my kids even if I test positive for flu. Yes, I would most likely not do such things, but I would have the right.

The government/CDC is still quarantining possible cases in the USA, correct? Or has that changed? Is there any teeth behind quarantine here or is it simply a request? I am unsure of the rules of quarantine. 

FWIW, I did get my flu shot this year (as I do almost every year), and I have normal OTC meds in my house for cold & flu and a reasonable amount of food for a family. I stocked up a little (like I could go 3ish weeks instead of 2ish) in case my family and I are asked (required?) to isolate ourselves.  

[AnotherE]

Nm

Edited March 3, 2020 by AnotherE
too much personal info

[mellifera33]

I suspect that lots of people put off prepping for emergencies in general until they have a reminder. While grabbing stuff they might need in the next few weeks, they think "might as well make a hurricaine/earthquake/teotwawki kit while I'm here."

 

[Ausmumof3]

4 hours ago, Lady Florida. said:

If I had been sipping a drink when I read this I would have spit it on my screen! 😂

Here in Florida our idea of being prepared is preparing for a hurricane. That actually seems to be the best considering we're used to being without power and possibly without water. Our usual hurricane supplies are water and non-perishable food that doesn't need cooking. Most homes here are all electric*, including stoves, so that means no cooking, or at best cooking on a grill. 

*Gas stoves are becoming more accessible, and our new house will have a gas stove. 

Same here. We have 3 nurses (ddil and 2 nieces) in the family and a paramedic (dss). They aren't in a panic or hearing about any local preparations. No one I know personally is even talking about it much. I've only seen it discussed here and among non-local fb friends. Again, the flu is a bigger concern as it continues to quietly kill while people are focused on Covid-19.

For me it’s partly because of China’s reaction.  I haven’t seen such a massive quarantine effort in my life time and it’s hard to see why they would close schools and factories over something that’s only the flu.

and it’s new and unknown and we don’t actually know what the long term effects will be.  
 

and of course we don’t have a vaccine.  I can get vaccinated for flu.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Ausmumof3

[kbutton]

6 hours ago, Plum said:

My city is built on large crowds and tourism. They’ve already had a couple of conventions cancelled.  Residency concerts have been cancelled. That’s going to really hurt our local economy. 

This might be why some people are stocking up--"I have money now, but I might have my hours cut later." 

I looked at our state's department of health recommendations, and I was surprised to see that they recommend having water, lol! I'm just going to assume it's for people on wells or who have other reasons for their supply to be in jeopardy (or tornado preparedness). 

[Ausmumof3]

I also know there was some study on a Coronavirus similar to Sars that showed it could live for quite a while in cold water (maybe three weeks?) https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12560-008-9001-6

maybe some people are actually worried about water contamination 

 

[cjzimmer1]

I did my weekly shopping today (including Costco).  I stocked up on things I wanted last week (which was mostly items that were on sale at Costco and I was buying because they were on sale and I always stock up then). 

My observations at my local grocery store (small regional chain with probably 20 stores but they have massive stores compared to any other grocery store in the area).

The are WELL supplied on TP,  The entire aisle was packed and overflowing the shelves and onto the floor.  You could no longer get two carts to pass each other due to the amount of TP they have stacked in the aisle.  There was a huge display of 4 pack of disinfecting wipes however, when you strolled down the aisle, the smaller quantities and single bottles was mostly empty.  Water had been moved to a very prominent display in the store but they seemed to have plenty.  I didn't really notice anything else different.

Costco, lots more water and tp in carts.  There are out of the more economical Kirkland brand TP but still had some Charmin.  All upper shelves are completely cleared or water, cleaning products, tp, kleenex etc so clearly all their current stock is down on the floor.  Water is being limited to 5 cases.  Kleenex display is about 1/4 the size it was last Thursday.  I saw some disinfecting wipes but since I don't buy those I couldn't compare to normal stock levels.  Sugar and rice were also limited to quantities of 5 which I thought was kind of funny because you could buy sugar in 50 pound bags.  I'm trying to figure out who would need more than 250 pounds of sugar?  Hydrogen peroxide seemed fully stock.  Liquid hand soap was low (low enough that it no longer has it's own display and is sitting on top of some other product).  I was hoping to wait until next week to see if it was on sale but decided not to risk it and bought it today and figured I could get a price adjustment if they do put it in the next sale book (but I'm kinda doubtful based on current demand). Flour was not limited which I also thought odd because we use way more flour than sugar.

[Arcadia]

Crosspost. Murphy’s law

http://www.rvcfire.org/_Layouts/Incident Information/IncidentInfoDetail.aspx?4530

”Update 3:30 p.m. Fire is 175 acres and is now 20% contained. Forward spread has stopped, however, evacuation orders remain in place. Two civilians received non-life threatening injuries. Five properties received minor damage to fencing and outbuldings. Additional updates will be posted as information becomes available.

Resources Assigned

Firefighters: 210

Helicopters: 3 

Fire Crews: 7

Water Tenders: 5

Bulldozers: 3

Specialized Equipment: Helitender”

[beaners]

We use sugar to make homemade Gatorade when we are sick, but we use even less than you would use to make regular koolaid. 250 lbs of sugar would last us a long time. I know people who buy a lot for hummingbirds but that probably isn't what is going on LOL!

I was in the same doctor office today as last week, same time of day, same people working. The phlebotomist who was coughing last week was wearing a mask today. I saw lots more sick people in the waiting room today. From my time waiting it sounds like a lot of people are wanting to get seen for symptoms they would usually completely ignore. 

The stores here in Alabama have been low on some things but overall shopping has been normal. Not too many extra people shopping, but all the sanitizing wipes my husband uses at work are gone. Their usual supplier is also on backorder.

Our fedex driver had a big delivery to drop off for us the last couple days, but made a comment that he knows it is normal for us. It sounds like a lot of people are taking advantage of online ordering from what he said. We don't usually get deliveries after dark except during the holiday season.

At the same time I am also hearing a lot of, "It is just the media. It isn't a big deal." 

[Arcadia]

Lead. US has lead issues and so does Australia 

@Ausmumof3 

https://www.abcb.gov.au/Connect/Articles/2019/03/14/ABCB-investigates-lead-in-drinking-water

“The Lead in Plumbing Products and Materials Report confirmed that brass components containing lead used in water supply and plumbing systems can leach lead into drinking water.  Multiple factors influence the release of lead from these components, including variations in:

• pH;
• chemical composition of the drinking water;
• galvanic reactions;
• temperature;
• disinfection treatments; 
• flow rates; and
• the elapsed time between use of pipes and fixtures. 

The report recommended that in order to limit the release of lead in drinking water, consideration should be given to low or lead-free plumbing products being used in drinking water systems.”

[DawnM]

I have bought next to nothing extra.  We happen to have a year's supply of TP at my house because my husband decided it would be a great idea to store TP in the laundry room above the dryer, in the cabinets.  I  had no idea and thought we were out so I found a great deal on 80 more rolls on an Amazon sale and ordered them.

When they got to the house, my husband said, "What in the world?  We have at least 80 already!"  He then told me where he had put them.  🙄

COMMUNICATION dear!  It is a thing!

[MEmama]

DH had a routine dr appointment this morning and reported that there wasn’t a single other person in the waiting areas. Not even at the lab. 
 

I ran to Target this morning for some random item and it was nearly empty. A few disinterested seeming moms with sick kids coughing and sniffling and hacking everywhere, but otherwise quiet. I didn’t notice gaping holes on any shelves. They were low on an end cap of gigantic containers of dog treats, but that's  probably not related to hoarding. Lol