The coronavirus is spreading across the globe and people are reacting about how you’d expect: turning on each other. While the number of people who are sick is spreading, what might be spreading even faster is complete panic. People are afraid supply chains will be cut off due to the pandemic, or they’ll be forced to self-quarantine for so long they run out of toilet paper and might have to wash their butts.
At least, I think that’s the explanation for what happens in this viral video shared by Twitter user @svsfo, filmed in Sydney, Australia. The clip starts at the height of the altercation, so it’s hard to tell what kind of conversation led up to it. But one woman seems to be taking on a mother and daughter duo who are hoarding all the toilet paper in the supermarket. They are brawling until someone who works at the market intercedes. Then the mom backs up to guard her cart full of more toilet paper than she can use in a year.
“I just want one pack,” the woman says to the mom, who refuses.
“No, not one pack,” she says.
Score another reason to buy online and not enter a store for #toiletpaperpic.twitter.com/KgUM1zkGge
— Brian Davis (@svsfo) March 8, 2020
The Daily Dot reports that all the women involved were eventually taken to the police station, though we don’t know who got the toilet paper in the end. They were issued court attendance notices, to which I say, GOOD. The coronavirus can be survived, but it’s not something we can all do alone.
Panic buying is a symptom of a dysfunctional society diseased with individualism
To those with litres of soap at home- do you realise that to slow the transmission of COVID-19 you need other people to be cleaning their hands too?!
A fortress of toilet paper will not protect you
— Julia Simons (@DrJulia_Simons) March 6, 2020
We’re all in this together. The situation could get much, much worse, but if people start descending to Mad Max Fury Road-level fighting over resources before much has happened, we’re really screwed. At least a lot of people watching the video seem to think it’s ridiculous, too:
https://twitter.com/_GrandpaMunster/status/1236492068739932160
You missed out while you were sleeping. The rest of us bought every last roll.
— Starving Indie Dev (@StarvngIndieDev) March 8, 2020
Right?
BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA— Mojack Marine (@MojackMarine) March 8, 2020
Ok I’m sold. I’m buying a bidet
— Eddie Della Siepe (@EddieDellaSiepe) March 8, 2020
Stock up on supplies as though you might need a couple weeks indoors, not like it’s the zombie apocalypse and you’re going to shoot your neighbor with a sawed off shot gun.
