General Chat

If people just did their routine shop there would be no empty shelves in the supermarkets. It's people buying "ten times" what they need that's causing the shortages/empty shelves.

People are people the world over .............

one person sees another buying 5 packs of toilet paper and thinks "He must know something I don't know", so she buys 10 packs .......... and so on and so on.

That empties the supermarket shelves ..... until the next delivery from the warehouse arrives. Hopefully that is sooner rather than later, as there are normal delivery timetables from warehouse to store.

Many stores here operate on a day by day delivery ............ goods arrive overnight and the shelves are re-stocked.

I don't know about the UK, but deliveries from manufacturers to warehouses to stores have been and are being impacted here by ............

winter storms,

government-mandated slower speeds on the railroads AND protests that have closed much rail traffic across Canada and within provinces for the last 2+ weeks,

slow down at the ports caused by goods not arriving so they can't unload the ships that are delivering goods from overseas,

and now the closing of factories overseas.

As a result shelves in supermarkets and other stores may well not be replenished as fast as people would like, or maybe stores will not get their full order from the warehouse.

I know you have had major flooding in some areas, but the question is "does the flooding in Yorkshire or Somerset or parts of Wales affect the whole delivery system of the United Kingdom?"

We also most definitely do not want fear mongering along the lines of Rollo's posts on here.

We need to take care of ourselves and our loved ones, pay attention to details, make sure we frequently wash our hands thoroughly and do not touch our faces ............... that may even mean do not wear contact lenses!!!!!! Then self-isolate if you feel sick until you can get a diagnosis.

That controls community infection, and thus prevent high numbers of infections.



I note that it is also Friday, and Rollo often posts a provocative message and then disappears for the weekend. ;-)

Only shortage at the Co op today is lemons.

This was quite interesting on Ch 4 news earlier. https://www.channel4.com/news/this-is-the-most-frightening-disease-ive-ever-encountered-virus-expert-dr-richard-hatchett

It's not good, but if it makes people stop and think I don't think that's a bad thing. People ( some people) are very good at shrugging and saying 'won't happen to me' that's maybe a double edged sword, but I do think you have to think about others at this time, not just yourself if you do happen to be fit and at low risk.

In that respect Rambling it's like the Flu or any stomach bug that hits hard, just because you might shrug it off easily doesn't mean someone in a nursing home will. Protect yourself to protect others.

Rose ................

I'm not ignoring it, nor am I failing to take precautions.

Both OH and myself are in the most dangerous age range, and I have high blood pressure. So we would both be extremely stupid if we shrugged our shoulders and said "it won't happen to us".

As it happens, I don't ride transit and don't go to crowded places, and I've talked about the reasons elsewhere. OH does all the shopping, goes to the local pub, is at a big fund-raising dinner dance this evening, and occasionally rides transit ..... so he is out and about, could potentially pick up the virus somewhere and pass it on to me.

So we know what to do if we think we might be infected. We have enough food in the house to feed ourselves for at least 3 weeks (possibly a month) apart from fresh bread, milk or dairy-free substitute, and fresh fruit and veggies. That's without touching the canned food. We even have enough toilet paper for about the same length of time ...............

........... but that's only our normal way of life. We always have a good store of staples, and food (mainly home-made) in the freezer.

I can also remember how to make do, as OH also does, because we both lived through the war and the rationing period afterwards, and can remember what our parents did.

I just think that some of the stories in the media and being passed around on social media are way beyond sensible precautions and preparations, and are very close to fear mongering.

Sylvia, I hope you didn't think I was suggesting you were one of the "shrug shoulders" type, not my thoughts that anyone here is ( most here are of a certain age and have sense! ).

Speaking to a family member last night who is more in the 'at risk group', being sensible seems to be how most are treating it. ie no shortages in shops there, aside from hand sanitiser. We have enough food etc in for a couple of weeks which is as normal, I always buy toilet rolls in big packs anyway, much cheaper.

I don't think Trump's incoherent ramblings are helpful that's for sure! heard him again this morning, and I'm afraid my thought was less than charitable.

Since November I've had 3 different 'bugs'. First had a fever, wiped out for a couple of days and then a cough which persisted for ages. Second a fluey, achey thing, no appetite and feeling rough for a few days. Just now seeing the last of a 'common' cold - lots of nose blowing but feeling not too bad! Glad I stocked up on tissues!

Just been to supermarket, been away for a few days so needed some essentials. Pasta isles depleted, as was a lot of frozen food and cereals, plenty of fresh stuff though.

My SIL "found" some sanitiser she had bought ages ago,it has "made in China" on it :-D

I have a small unopened bottle of hand sanitizer that was left here by the community nurse the last time she visited me after I had the last mastectomy ............

that was in early October 2011 :-0

I'm not sure that it will still be effective!!!

The opened bottle that she also left is still somewhere in the "guest" bathroom .......... I think that said "use within 3 days after opening" :-D


Mind you, I don't believe that hand sanitizers are effective any way, especially as most people do not use them correctly.

Hand sanitizers should only be used when soap and water aren't available.

I agree, Caroline.

They are not the protection that the companies would have you believe!

so it would be better if people stopped stealing them doctors' offices, hospitals, etc


At my doctor's office, there is a hand dispenser near the Receptionist's Desk, and I notice quite a few people using it ........ but there are also washrooms just across the hall with hot water and soap.

Each examination room has a sink with soap dispenser and a sanitizer dispenser.

For the last several years, each doctor that I've seen has used hot water and soap before and after conducting any kind of bodily examination ...... even it only taking my blood pressure with me fully clothed!

No comment required

https://tinyurl.com/swqayl8

Crazy!!!!!

I saw a reference to that online last night, Allan.

but it isn't confined to Australia!

The problem seems to be, as my daughter said, that if you see other people clearing the shelves of hand sanitisers and such like when some appear on the shelves you take one for immediate use and one as a spare in case there are none left when you need another.

I always have a pack of sanitising wipes in the cars but I thought I'd get a couple of spares this week. Only M and S had any left and they were limited to two per customer.

Youngsters don't seem to care. My younger grandson went skiing for a week with school. His Mum packed his carefully pressed clothes, shampoo, conditioner and hand sanitiser. He came back with half of his clothes still unused and bundled up with his dirty items, a full bottle of shampoo and conditioner and a full hand sanitiser. I can imagine, at that age, lads dashing quickly through showers and simply splashing water all over (splash it all over Henry, as some will recall).

He'd had a great time, unspoiled by the cares and worries of we oldies!

I think I may revert to childhood! :-D

I've never grown out of it Joy ;-) :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

:-D :-D :-D

The college my grand daughter attends has had a student diagnosed positively for coronavirus :-(

Maggie, oh dear .... college closed?

No. They're keeping it open!
The student is self-isolating at home.
We had 2 cases last week, in a primary school the opposite end of town - they're looking to see if any of the 'victims' are related.
It may be useful if their parents and siblings self-isolated, too!

O dear Maggie, it is a worry isn't it? Is that the local college? We have cancelled our trip to Hampshire at the end of March and also a meeting due to be held in our house next week, best to take sensible precaustions when we can. Even if it is inevitable that we get it, no need to encourage it I feel.