If anything has been proven with this epidemic is that the human being, in adverse situations, is irrational and selfish. And there’s no need for the situation to be extreme for these two characteristics to shine bright.
That we need to be careful with Coronavirus is obvious, same as with any other sickness. Not being part of the risk group doesn’t mean that we can, unpurposely, infect someone else who actually is - with bad or worst consequences.
One of the main dangers of coronavirus is that it spreads fast, causing the collapse of the public health system. And the quarantine (in some countries or areas) has been declared, among other reasons, to avoid exactly this. This is the reasoning: instead of having a peak of infected people at the same time, having it distributed over time so that the public health system can cope with it.
It has never been announced that pharmacies or supermarkets were going to close. This only applies to establishments that are not of first need and, precisely, they are not essential and can be a focus of infection. Still, people decide to go to the stores and take more than what they need (food, toilet paper, sanitary products, medicines, etc…). This creates the domino effect, because other people worry about not having food due to the first ones and we keep on going like that until we are in the situation we already are: empty supermarkets.
Think for a moment about what would have happened if people would have have reacted in a rational way: I go to the supermarket and buy what I need. State of alert is declared and some establishments are closed, except for pharmacies and supermarkets. People, whenever they need to buy anything, go to the market and buy it. Simple. Stores wouldn’t be out of stock, since they have a more or less average demand.
So, please, be more sympathetic. While some people have plenty of rubbing alcohol at home, some others who really need it have to go around trying to find one bottle. In the face of hysteria, stop, breathe and think things through. I want to believe that we are more than “as long as I have my stuff, screw everyone else”.
