Two days ago, I toured Zehrs and Food Basics in Guelph, not because I needed anything, but just to see the spectacle of people panic buying. Today I went to Food Basics in Kitchener and I felt like I was at risk every moment I was outside. Me and my mother went for a walk two days ago, just for the joy of being outside, breathing fresh air, getting some light erxercise and enjoying the neighbourhood. Today, that seems like something I wouldn't want to admit.
I don't really know what changed. The symptoms and spread have been fairly consistent, but the response has been frightening. When it was mostly people panic buying, that was easy to dismiss as mob mentality, but a lot of action is being taken from powerful and informed people, suggesting that this thing is a lot more dangerous than it looks on paper. Is there something the public doesn't know?
Canada has closed its borders to everyone except the US and Mexico. Justin Trudeau said ominously "Let me be clear. If you are abroad, it is time for you to come home."
Many non-essential businesses have been shut down in KW, Guelph, and neighbouring cities, such as libraries, stadiums, museums and community centres.
My roommate has been to a Starbucks and a McDonald's in the past few days, and while they will still prepare your order, you are not allowed to sit down or stay in the establishment. My neighbour says Tim Horton's is the same.
And most ominous of all... Pokemon Go cancelled March Community Day! It was going to feature a Pokemon called Abra, but they should have just switched it out for Koffing.
This is a Koffing:
Get it? Because everyone is coughing!
So, I did my panic buying today. I snapped a few photos from my local Food Basics:
Remember how I said that the truly savvy would get rice and beans instead of toilet paper? Well, image three is the rice section. I feel this is fairly representative of the prominent Indian/Nepali population in my neighbourhood. I find it really funny that all the rice is gone except for that one specific brand, which is still fully stocked. I didn't even get any for myself, because I figured there must be a reason that rice afficianados who are in a state of panic still bypass it.
This was a bit disappointing to me, because while I still have three bags of rice, a personal desire of mine has always been to buy one of those giant burlap sacks. I can finally justify it, and they're all gone.
Flour, salt, and Sriracha were also on my shopping list, and I couldn't find them. Oats were also sold out. I checked the snacks and cereal sections, which were generally better stocked, but I believe Mini Wheats and Froot Loops had been panic bought. I guess what's happening is, someone buys something in a large quantity, and then everyone else feels like it's their last opportunity to have it, so they all pile on it.
Harsher purchasing restrictions were put in place since I checked at the Guelph location. The "Two item" restriction for paper products, water, and cleaning products were reduced to one, and there was a new two item restriction placed on pasta and canned goods.
I gotta say, poorly paid retail employees are sort of the frontline workers of this event. They are dealing with a panicked public and are being asked to enforce restrictions that allow everyone, especially those who are most vulnerable, to be able to access vital living supplies. I saw a young woman stare down a panicked man, and make him accept that he wasn't allowed to purchase most of the canned goods he was trying to buy.
I'm not joking about this. Some of them may be doing a better job of it than others, but retail workers are suddenly tasked with a very difficult and impactful duty, which they are not trained to handle. They are putting in long hours, risking contamination while many of the people they serve are being asked to hide. What many of them have been stepping up to do deserves respect and recognition.
Anyway, despite the the purchase restrictions and everything that was out of stock, I still managed to fill my bundle buggy and backpack. Want to know what I got?
-Eight kg of cat food (Selection brand.... I'm sorry Kieran, it's the apocolypse!)
-18 kg of kitty litter
-Four tubes of ground turkey
-Two jars of mayo
-Two jars of peanutbutter (wanted to get the club packs of this and mayo, but they didn't have them)
-Two cans of beans (what I used my can quota on...)
-Two bags of pasta (my favourite pasta shapes, rotini and fusilli were out, so I had to get some capelinni nonsense)
-Two jars of pasta sauce
-Two bags of frozen mixed vegetables
-A bottle of honey garlic sauce
-A big bottle of of cooking oil
-A tub of margarine
Cost me $80 on the dollar. No sales at this time. Americans, that might not sound too good, but my Canadian readers know how Canadian prices work, and I don't think I did too bad.
I was decently stocked before my purchases today, so I think I'm ready to self-quarantine. I just really wish I had more Sriracha.
On another note, happy St Patrick's Day! What an unfortunate time to have it! Stay at home and drink by yourself, please!
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