Dos and Don’ts During a Pandemic

I think we can all agree that there has been no shortage of “crazy” happening lately. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that national emergencies have been declared in several countries and people want to be able to provide for their families–but there is absolutely no reason to buy twenty giant packages of toilet paper or thirty gallons of milk all at once. All of which I have seen with my very own eyes. Let the girl who had the stupidity to travel last week explain the Do’s and Don’ts of what to do during a pandemic (What? I knew the hotel would at least have toilet paper).

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DO: Get what you need, and only what you need. Please keep in mind, that even in countries that have gone into full quarantine, grocery stores and pharmacies have been ordered to stay open. No one expects you to shelter in place without stepping foot outside to restock on basic necessities like food… and toilet paper.

DON’T: Go crazy and BUY ALL THE THINGS. Yeah, you may be patting yourself on the back for having a year’s worth of toilet paper, but emptying the shelves only causes more panic. Missing toilet paper means other people go bananas and someone then feels they have to buy all the laundry detergent… and then someone else buys all the cleaning supplies… and then all the frozen meat disappears. Don’t contribute to the panic buying and empty shelves. Unless you are rich enough to panic buy a year’s supply of ALL THE THINGS you will need, you’ll come out short in the end.

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DO: Report every single person you see selling basic goods for a huge upcharge. Amazon is rife with people selling things like laundry detergent for a 150% increase in price. It is important to remember that price gouging is illegal during declared national emergencies. These people could face prosecution if they continue. Furthermore, you do not want to encourage these people by buying from them–they are most likely contributing to empty store shelves and I’d rather they not profit from their greed. I mean, seriously, think about it. They are taking hand sanitizer–something that could actually save people’s lives–taking ALL of it from store shelves and more than quadrupling the price. These people deserve the seventh circle of hell. So do the right thing and hit the report button while shopping Amazon/eBay/wherever.

DON’T: forget to to check lesser used markets in your area. Yeah, Safeway was completely wiped out when my fiancé and I went to find ground beef for our chili–but the Asian market down the street had plenty. Plus, these ethnic markets tend to be locally owned businesses and it’s important to support your city’s economy when the global markets are tanking. Bonus–You don’t have to help that jackass on Amazon profit from their dick move of upselling product.

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DO: Buy some veggies and leave the frozen TV dinners alone. Most of us are quarantined, having to work from home or bored out of our minds… The end result is that we have waaaay more time to do things like make a real dinner. PLUS, the produce sections at market places seems to be completely full so you don’t have to worry about everyone else cleaning the shelves of potatoes and carrots. Additionally, the nutrients and vitamins from fresh made food will provide more immune boosting properties than the frozen pizza in aisle thirteen. (Also, the Pressure Cooker Lentils I wrote about this week is composed of ingredients that are probably still readily available at your store.)

DON’T: Get so bored that you start arguing with your spouse and rearranging the furniture in an effort to keep your sanity. Remember, coronavirus will pass despite all the memes threatening that it is the end of days. Just like the plague, the numerous bouts of influenza and other epidemics of days gone by, IT WILL PASS.