Community Chat

[SuhseK]

Never, have I heard, that Coronavirus, causes diarrhea, or GI illness, so WHY 🤪are people buying and hoarding toilet 

paper???

And water? Do they expect water mains to break? The water supply to be corrupted? 

I was recently in the Vancouver, WA area, my Sister called Every Costco, in the Vancouver/Portland area. None of them had TP in stock. They were getting deliveries daily. 
They  told her to be at the store, by 10am, because,they sod out, in about 45 minutes! 

Why, TP😳

[Anonymous032819]

They're convinced that they are going to be quarantined for a month or more.

[judy0330]

CNN online had a long article about this yesterday.  Google:

"The psychology behind why toilet paper, of all things, is the latest coronavirus panic buy"

[golding76]

Odd you should ask your question today, SusheK, because for the first time -- today -- I read that COVID-19 can cause diarrhea and gastro-intestinal problems.  I don't remember what the source was, though.  

When my family bought a supply of TP after the virus's appearance, it was from fear of having a disruption in the supply, not because of the thought of using an inordinately large number of rolls in the future.

[golding76]

Found this online now:

Patients with COVID-19 may experience GI symptoms, possible fecal-oral transmission

March 6, 2020

Results from two studies published in Gastroenterology discussed manifested gastrointestinal symptoms and possible fecal-oral transmission in patients with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

“Amounting evidence from former studies of SARS indicated that the gastrointestinal tract (intestine) tropism of SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) was verified by the viral detection in biopsy specimens and stool, even in discharged patients, which may partially provide explanations for the gastrointestinal symptoms, potential recurrence and transmission of SARS from persistently shedding human as well,” Jinyang Gu, MD, of the department of transplantation, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and colleagues wrote in one of the studies.

Digestive symptoms of COVID-19

[Drythe]

@SuhseK 

There have been several recent posts about this.  You might want to look them up, they may still be open.

[Kachina624]

The coronavirus is supposed to be a respiratory illness.  I haven't heard a word about intestinal  problems.  Nobody seems to know why there's a run on TP.

[Mominohio]

It's about possible need for the virus, but more about fear of supply interruptions and inability to get out to purchase anything during a quarantine situation. 

[FlyersGirl]

---

@Mominohio wrote:

It's about possible need for the virus, but more about fear of supply interruptions and inability to get out to purchase anything during a quarantine situation. 

---

Exactly. People are stocking up in anticipation of quarantine.

There are 8 confirmed cases in the county that I live in. 2 confirmed in the town next to mine. MANY schools have closed due to possibile exposure, with the intent of reopening once cleaned, but that is not a definite. Many activities are cancelled. A local St. Paddy's day parade has been cancelled. The lead county commissioner had a news conference today advising that older adults, aged 60 and over, should do everything that they can to avoid large crowds, avoid going out unless absolutely a critcal need. Stock up on shelf stable food and paper products and prepare to be homebound for 2 weeks to 1 month. 

When this is the information/directive provided by local authorities, people are listening. It could be an overabundance of caution, but I know I don't want to take any chances. 

[suzyQ3]

I thought it was fairly obvious that people want to be prepared if they are unable to get to a market for whatever reason. It could be a quarantine or lockdown, it could be to avoid public places, or it could be that one becomes sick.

This is not what I call panic, unless someone is filling up their whole house wall to wall it TP. In that case, we're dealing with something beyond panic.