In these trying times, it’s best not to panic. The sky isn’t falling (though the Dow certainly is). Coronavirus is spreading quicker than a wildfire, but that doesn’t mean you should run around screaming and waving your arms like one of those wacky, waving blow-up guys in front of a used car dealership. Sure, you should be prepared. Go out and buy some food (and beer) and get ready to watch a lot of Netflix in the next few weeks. But you don’t need to yell about the end of days while you buy up all the paper towels, hand sanitizer, and beef burritos at your neighborhood bodega.
But some people didn’t get the memo. All over the country, people are quickly losing their minds. Heck, if Tom Hanks can get coronavirus, anyone can, right? That’s why people are heading out to stock up on supplies. But not everything seems completely necessary. That’s why we decided to list eight of the strangest things people are hoarding in preparation for a coronavirus lockdown.
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Coronavirus Panic Products
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Toilet Paper
You might not think a pandemic would make you concerned about toilet paper. But, besides hand sanitizer, there’s no bigger commodity than good ol' TP. People are obviously afraid of not being able to have a clean ass while quarantined.
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Rubbing Alcohol
Apparently, people are buying all the rubbing alcohol at supermarkets. This is because the black market for hand sanitizer has pushed the price to ridiculous heights. They’re pairing the rubbing alcohol with aloe vera gel to make their own homemade hand sanitizer.
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Vodka
Word got around on social media that people could use vodka as hand sanitizer. Well, sadly this isn’t actually true. If you bought some, just mix it with some OJ and drink it instead.
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Baby Wipes
Parents looking for baby wipes this week have been surprised to see the aisles completely empty. One can only assume people are stocking up to either use them in lieu of sanitizing wipes or to pair them with their toilet paper.
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Pasta
Everyone enjoys a nice bowl of pasta, but if you visit your local grocery store, you’ll probably see shelves completely empty except for lasagna. Why is this? Probably because people are too lazy to make lasagna even when they can’t leave their homes for weeks at a time.
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Steak
People are pillaging meat departments. There’s nothing like a pandemic to make people feel the need to cook up a big, juicy steak.
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Powdered Milk
Who even knew powdered milk was still a product? It seems like something from the Great Depression. Well, people are currently stocking up on this product from a bygone era. It lasts quite a bit longer than regular milk.
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Black Beans
You might be wondering why everyone is grabbing cans of black beans. Well, so are we. Sure, black beans are great, but why are people taking every can off the shelves?