I could be described as an anxious person. So this whole global shut down over COVID-19 may or may not have me on edge at the moment. Especially when people are COVID-19 hoarding. Why are they thinking that the virus is a stomach bug or whatever other madness is making people think they need a lifetime supply of toilet paper?
I have done my best to be calm and level headed, despite working in a tourism information centre. This means I will be seeing people from many different places over the next six months. I need to be vigilant to just keep myself and my workplace safe from whatever this pandemic will bring.
While the rest of the world was off panic buying toilet paper and everything else you can imagine, I was running out of many of my essentials in my apartment. So today I needed to take a trip to Walmart to pick up some basics. Luckily, I was able to pick up toilet paper the day before when it was suggested I head to Giant Tiger when they opened before work to pick up some. Wise choice there, because was a woman stocking an empty shelf when I got there at 8:15, with a handful of people waiting to grab some. So, toilet paper mission has been accomplished.
However, my kitchen was beginning to look a little barren, even before the world began to shut down. So, to Walmart I went. In some cases, I was pleasantly surprised. In others, I was incredibly frustrated.
First off, I was incredibly impressed with Walmart’s work. Since it was a Saturday, every cash register was open, so the cashier area looked like this. No waiting, no lines, and there was nothing chaotic feeling about the whole situation. I felt hopeful that I would be able to get what I needed.
First Stop: Pharmacy
When the weather is changing, I get headaches frequently enough to be an issue. So I had just run out of Advil and had to pick some up. This wasn’t going to be an issue, right? Right?
Wrong.
I was actually mid headache while going to Walmart, so this one was a devastating blow because I needed an Advil IMMEDIATELY. It at least made some sense though, because people apparently have no idea what to expect with COVID-19, since they’re hoarding toilet paper (It’s not a stomach bug) and now pain medication. I guess it helps with fevers?
Next Stop: Groceries
I knew the COVID-19 hoarding was random. I’d seen people just buying anything they could get on the internet because they were afraid they couldn’t get groceries for two weeks. So, I anticipated SOME things to be missing. The produce section was great, and I was able to grab everything I needed. Then I turned the corner to get to the meat section.
The chicken was completely gone. And I nearly cursed out loud at how mad I was.
See, I don’t have a big freezer. I have a smaller fridge top freezer that can hold enough to last me a while. So I was looking forward to grabbing two packs of chicken and knowing it would last me at least two weeks. This section is MASSIVE. So I know the people buying this are people with nice big chest freezers that think we’re coming to the end days and need an entire farm worth of chicken.
You do not need that much chicken! Nobody needs that much chicken! Some of us don’t have the space or ability to stock up for emergencies, so you’ve put a lot of people at a disadvantage. Especially when people don’t have as many options. For example, boneless skinless chicken breasts are one of the few things I can eat without worrying, since I joined Weight Watchers a few weeks ago and on their Blue Plan, there is about 200 items that are zero points, including chicken breast and eggs.
Thankfully, I had some ideas for what to make instead for the next week. I hope the COVID-19 hoarding will stop within a week’s time once people are done being scared and are more just living through the situation. Thankfully, nobody seems to be stocking up on root vegetables. I was able to use the last of my ground beef from the freezer and made a Shepherd’s Pie for supper. That will get me through lunches for the next half a week as well.
However, in a week’s time, I’ll be stuck in this situation again, with an empty freezer now and the hope I can get my regular groceries. So to everyone who does have a nice big chest freezer – please calm down. Some of us are not lucky enough to be able to stock up like you are.