/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

>>10347576
Frankly, you should stockpile, like, right now. Don't wait until later. The big issue isn't going to be the virus yourself; most people seem to be recovering aside from the elderly and immunocompromised. Take the same precautions you would for the flu and you'll have good odds of being alright.

The reason you should stockpile is for the same reasons >>10347594 is pointing out. People are scared. The moment it hits your area, people are going to be terrified, especially if the sick people turn out to have been walking around asymptomatic prior to testing positive. Our grocery stores operate on a "just in time" mode; they have very little actual "in the back" stock and if they get hit with a surge of people, you're going to see bare shelves very quickly (as people did in Italy last week), and people who don't have food stored at home are going to start getting hungry.

If restaurants and grocery stores go on close due to transmission fears soon afterwards, those people are going to get desperate, and when people get desperate, they get violent. There might still be places for you to get food at that point, but they'll be packed with large numbers of scared, desperate people, which is a recipe for a.) viral transmission and b.) violence. At that point, fears of catching the virus takes a backseat to being shot or stabbed over the last can of beans or something. Having stored food means not having to be in that situation.

Realistically, the water and lights will stay on, so it won't be *too* bad, but definitely try to have a week's worth of food you can stash at home or something. Maybe grab some toilet paper and a carton of cigarettes for trading too, because people will definitely forget both in the initial rush and those will become highly-sought commodities too.

Remember: a person is smart. People are dumb, panicky animals.