@voice_of_reason said in [Corona impact on NRL\.\.\.?](/post/1129069) said:
What exactly are people calling “panic”. The only thing I see is the individuals buying too much toilet paper.
Yes panic buying. Getting upset and violent over stock. It's not everyone and the violence is especially contained to a small amount of people, but it has a larger societal / cultural impact when some folks are willing to start fights over toilet paper. It when from being laughable to semi-serious.
Even less about the toilet paper, more about the food hoarding - flour, pasta, rice. Some people think this acceptable and appropriate, to be prepared for - for what I don't know, for the apparent lack of absence of food in shops, or inability to get to shops or receive supplies. I said before, it's not a flood or bushfire, there's nothing physical stopping you right now from driving down to the shops, just in some food stocks they are without.
And my main concern is the escalation, first toilet paper, then pasta and rice... it doesn't take much more of a step for people to ramp up the panic, given that panic begets panic, and next there's no canned foods, no cereal, no biscuits. Maybe all this calms down of its own, or maybe people choose the "next thing" to panic-purchase. E.g. first toilet paper was hard to come by, then by close proximity, tissues and paper towels.
The escalation should not have gone as far as toilet paper or rice in the first place, if everyone kept their heads. You should not have to visit 5 stores to get some paper, or a packet of pasta. Under normal circumstances, you could buy toilet paper or pasta at any shop in Australia, under average consumption, but there is hardly any to be had. That part of people's reactions is serious, more serious than being asked to consider staying home more often than you normally would.
Pies...?
Just on that note, a community announcement for those who love their pies. The Herbert Adams 2-packs (which normally retail for $7) are down to only $3.75 at Coles. Easily my favourite supermarket pies, real gourmet stuff.
There you go, doing my bit for humanity.
(Go Tigers ??)