The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic still has everyone on edge, from people stuck at home to workers on the frontlines providing essential services.
Now, news of false-positive testing results is causing panic among shoppers. Because of this, some supermarkets are once again reinforcing limits on popular items like toilet paper and paper towels.
The false-positive dilemma
Early this year, countless Americans learned the importance of prepping or stocking up on essential supplies before stores ran out when other people rushed to buy more items.
With mainstream media continuing to lie to the public, "panic hoarding" once again threatens to decimate store supplies. A lot of people believe that COVID-19 cases are increasing even though it's mostly because of false-positives.
But what exactly is a false positive?
A false positive refers to when someone who doesn't have coronavirus tests positive for the disease. False-positives often make people think that there are more cases of a disease than there really are, which can incite mass panic, like with the coronavirus pandemic.
Like in the early days of the pandemic, people are once again stocking up on food and other essentials, like toilet paper and paper towels.
According to a spokesperson for Kroger, the grocery chain set purchase limits on the essential items “to ensure all customers have access to what they need this holiday season.” Kroger operates over 2,000 locations nationwide.
The Kroger purchase limit is temporary, and shoppers can only buy two of certain items, such as bath tissue, disinfecting wipes, hand soap and paper towels. The spokesperson confirmed that the policy was enforced due to the ongoing pandemic.
Meanwhile, posts on Costco’s website have revealed that the company is also implementing limits on certain items because of COVID-19.
“Our buyers and suppliers are working hard to provide essential, high demand merchandise as well as everyday favorites," wrote Costco. The company also has special operating hours for members 60 or older, those with disabilities and people who are immunocompromised.
H-E-B, a Texas grocery chain, announced on its website that as of Oct. 21, stores will be placing purchase limits on items like bath tissue, paper towels and brisket.
"Panic hoarding" vs methodical shopping
As the year is nearing its end, it seems that more people are buying supplies “in a more measured, methodical way.” Yet stores remain worried that with the onset of false-positives, the public may once again resort to panic-buying.
When stores closed back in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, people understandably rushed to buy more supplies before things got worse. Home goods sections, which include products like hand sanitizer and toilet paper that were common in stores pre-pandemic, were cleaned out when people rushed to buy these items this year.
Worried shoppers bought so many items in bulk. Even the Twitter account for Google Trends that keeps track of what people are searching on Google found that the term “how to make toilet paper” spiked over 1,300 percent in April.
Back in March, Amazon sold out of toilet paper. The company also reported that there would be delays in deliveries for most items.
The Giant Co. in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, also announced that it will limit customer purchases to “one bundle of toilet paper and paper towels six rolls or larger, and up to four single rolls or 4-roll packs of toilet paper and paper towels.”
In a statement, the company explained that the limits were placed because the supply chain for the listed items "remains challenged." Giant reassured shoppers that there is barely any evidence of stockpiling and that there is no need to panic.
In Targets across Pennsylvania, shoppers are greeted with signs about enforced limits on disinfectant wipes, paper towels and toilet paper to meet the increasing demand.
Data from Johns Hopkins University revealed that America recently surpassed 10 million confirmed COVID-19 cases on Monday, with record daily surges in new cases. The U.S. had recorded more than 237,000 coronavirus deaths as of Nov. 9.
Visit Pandemic.news for reliable updates on the number of COVID-19 cases across the country.
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