It's like people threw their brains out the window this week down here. Supermarkets are full, people stocking roof-high cars with food and toilet paper (…) and the president had to declare the state of emergency so they could block off TURISTIC SPOTS so people sent home due to workplaces shutting don't go to the beach, parks or other potentialy crowded zones, or go get drunk at midnight to the lord knows where… But of course the religious festivities are not to be held on and so far they have yet the green light to proceed and gather up thousands or millions of sheeple in their senseless march…

I wonder how is the life of someone who needs to kiss the bronze-made feet of a statue of a saint to feel alive and to revolt against measures to postpone such events threatening to riot...

How in the seven hells do you think it's fine to go to a full bar terrace to have a drink with your work colleagues the very same day the business you work at closes for 2 weekes due to an easily transferable disease? Or go to the park because the childcare site shut its gates / your university closed?

I am baffled and embarrassed to call these individuals my compatriots…to quote a scrawny black maned lion, "I am surrounded by idiots."

And to top it off, I am secluded with a 90 y/o grandfather with chronic pulmonary affection scared dead of going outside or having me going outside: he's gone full panic mode and demands I wear mask at all times, to avoid cooking or touching kitchen stuff, or to move at all from the room...

I truly don't know what to do: if I caught it and I'm asympthomatic I could endanger him, but it's not like I can go anywhere else for the time being. I was supposed to go to Austria soon to start working there but I have yet to recieve the contract and the specific date, and who knows how will this hellhole be by then, or if I will be able to travel, or if I will end up recieving it at all!

I was laughing because... wouldn't it make sense to avoid unnecessary flights anyway, corona or not? All in all, that is such a lame and useless advice from our dear teenage prime minister.

I was mainly laughing how the young Finnish prime minister is so afraid to make any actual decisions, and just parroting "Let's see how this goes, please try to be careful and remember to wash your hands, we are following the situation" etc. Like now she has proclaimed that if it needs to be, maybe in the future there will be some restrictions to movement or closing of schools or daycare... but not right now (while in other countries near Finland like Norway, Denmark, Estonia etc. they have already done all that).

I guess she feels the extra actions are not needed until the virus has already spread all over. Yeah, let's not try to stop (=slow down) the spreading now, let's act only afterwards when it is too late.

About a month ago or so, their main concern seemed to be that corona may make some of the EU member states put restrictions on the free movement in the EU Schengen area. Yeah, they sure have their priorities right, the health of the citizens is secondary to the sacred "Free Movement Of EU" (tm). Damn leftists, they have no common sense whatsoever.

The nerve of some people…

So those that remain calm and don't cause a shortage by not hoarding are to blame for a potential shortage caused by those that hoard stuff preventing old people and rational individuals avoiding to ramp up the panic to get stuff they need.

By emptying down the damn shelves they are artificialy creating a shortage where there should be none! People did not laugh off or disregard the situation, it does not warrant to full-on assault those shelves and leave them empty for the one coming behind BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING TO STOCK UP FOR. Life can perfectly go on with some easy and affordable measures, going to the shopping mall ain't a neck-deep dive into a virus pit ffs.

All this manages is to scare other people off and make them jump into the panic wagon, and leave the old and fray in a tight spot.

(Note to all: The above is just some "dark humor"...not meant to be taken seriously)

People have started hoarding somewhat here too, and yes some stores have run out of toilet paper. I bought a big bag of toilet paper that lasts for a month a few days ago, at least back then the shelves of the local supermarket were full of toilet paper, and other stuff too.

I haven't seen any reports people fighting over toilet paper or the last pack of instant noodles here, though.

My wife has bought some extra canned, dry and frozen food, it would probably last us for 2-3 weeks or so. After that, if we really run out of food and are starving to death, as the last resort... there's fortunately a McDonald's just around the corner. A couple of big juicy burgers will cure any famine.

My daughter's day care centre is closed "until further notice" leaving my wife and I in the lurch workwise.

My brother-in-law is still insistent on having my niece's christening take place on Sunday despite everyone advising him to the contrary (although the church itself might put paid to that).

Proper translation work has pretty much dried up although I'm getting bombarded with CoVID-19-related texts.

Supermarket shelves have been stripped bare with your typical Karens piling their trolleys high with bog roll, disinfectant and long-life milk.

So... SNAFU, basically.

On the plus side, I've got time to build my new PC and finally play Witcher 2 properly (which, for some reason, ran like gash on my last system). And my backlog suddenly doesn't seem as big anymore.

I get(reading ahead about your family) that you're upset, but there's no need to make fun of the religious.

(I AGREE they shouldn't meet in such large crowds, though)

I feel bad for you....my dad is 70 or so and I worry about him as he goes to semi-regular hospital visits(other things) and I have to remind him to wear his mask there(he says he's not afraid as others are, but I don't want to lose him to this).

That sucks....fwiw I hope you and your GF get through this without problems.
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I think you might have misunderstood what I meant/might be taking what I meant the wrong way.

I wasn't making a dig at anyone with that comment or defending hoarders....just musing/saying what I feel.

It sucks and I also dislike such types....that said, we all had a chance to stock up, yet some of us chose to wait until the last minute.

That isn't me trying to mock those of us who did such, it is the cold and simple truth of the matter for a good number of people.

A good number did, in a way, for this or any potential bad situation where SHTF....and now some(like me as well) have to scramble at the last minute.

Also yes, there IS something to stock up for....this isn't a day in the park type situation....and even if it turns out to not be so bad, stocking up is always a good idea, as one never knows what tomorrow might bring.

While it isn't likely going to be as bad as some think(hopefully), it isn't your every day run of the mill problem either.

Normally we don't lock down multiple countries and cancel major worldwide events/travel.

(Essentially we shouldn't overestimate or underestimate this)

People would get scared no matter what others would say/do...it's human nature.

Now that's not to say people shouldn't try to intentionally panic anyone, but it can and does happen no matter what.

(Also I like to think those of us with more level heads and kind hearts should and likely will help out those in need...including the elderly...during all this)

The cold and simple truth is that such people are a bunch of idiots that, not content with having problems like this, are too quick to jump into the thick of it and create more where there should be none.

Were they not a bunch of mindless mongrels like the bloody imbeciles that decide that this is the best time to travel because most spots are empty or resorts are cheap, spreading the virus around, the rest of the civilized world could move forward one feet after the other without having to plan ahead for imaginary scenarios where toilet paper runs out and people trade their children for a can of dog food in the coming months due to an extreme shortage.

Sugarcoating such behaviors is inexcusable. If we are unable to call out morons for acting out as such, we have no path ahead but this one, and it goes ever downhill.

Prison would be too merciful for those that flail around heedless of the consequences they leave in their wake. Unwarranted fearmongering such as this should not go unpunished.

Wow I have to butt in here and put my foot down, because the 'we all had the chance to stock up' etc, speaking for myself guess what: I can say that I am fairly well organized, don't leave things to the last minute, there are things I always have as a matter of course stock of. I normally do my shopping on a weekly basis and sure as hell was not about to for the past few days going to jump on the panic wagon and rush out to stock pile on stuff.

So today I got what I needed, got a bit more frozen veggies but that's it, I simply from the start made the choice to not behave like a total selfish prick by going back home with trolleys filled of stuff, thus participating in creating shortages which could well in turn lead to price hikes and whatever other collateral damage. And in all this I am thankfully not alone.

For us here right now in the UK and for the foreseeable few days at least, there is NO NEED to, I won't say stock but hoard as some are doing.

Now the situation is fluid for all of us wherever we are, things will be either ok or will get bad and ugly, but those are bridges I'll cross if/when I come to them.

I have been stocking up myself a tiny bit(being mindful of others of course) here and there on basic things.

Wouldn't they run out faster if supply chains slowed down or stopped for a bit?
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Maybe, but as I said for a FEW(not all) it is hard to fight that compulsion and fear......many of us have been afraid or done impulsive things at one point or another, most likely.

Also calling people idiots and fighting amongst ourselves(in general I mean) really doesn't help things....though given the world situation it is understandable.

I agree on the unnecessary travel, but not planning ahead to even a small degree for ANY sort of potential problem down the line is foolish, imo.

I mean most of us think it's common sense to have some medical stuff or a first aid kit on hand, or a fire extinguisher, or to save some money/etc for lean times right?

That said: yes, some take it way too overboard and don't act considerate of others in such situations.

I was more showing that they are human same as us and trying to point out reasons some might do so....not to defend them or excuse them.

Also that some of us have or will act no better in other similar situations and that name calling doesn't help anyone.

Dude, most of them are just hoarding toilet paper/etc......do you really think that warrants a fate worse than prison?

(IMO it's the ones who dropped the ball with this who are in charge who deserve prison, if anyone)

Yes, but what if stuff runs out and you need something? I hope you have kind neighbors/etc?

Also I agree no one should buy that much(save some for everyone else)...just that people should stock up a reasonable amount on some things.

Agreed...some are going overboard.....hopefully some of them will share with others if need be.

I hope you manage to do so and everything works out well for you, and I will be praying(fwiw) for you/yours and everyone else here.

Governments are shutting down non-essential gatherings, but I wouldn't worry about that effecting food and whatnot. Not unless this gets a LOOOOT more serious than it is now. The reason to stock up is so you can limit how many times you go to public places, not because there might be food riots.

This ain't a damn "I'll buy an extra pack of aspirines just in case". We are talking about people emptying shopping centers fearing a shortage that doesn't exist and they are themselves creating by accelerating the rate at which things run out before they are replenished.

It's not the fact of hoarding toilet paper, but spreading panic while disregarding official directives from the government while doing so and profiting from it.

"Being human" also means to act like such, which is so merrily forgotten. "Oh, we are humans, of course we might get scared of things and act rashly to the detriment of others for our sakes." my arse: the moment others on the same situation as you act better than you, that sorry excuse goes to the gutter.

Fall in line or fall on a blade.