I'm not a prepper. I'm not an alarmist. But AIBU to be considering a small stockpile or supplies because of Corona?

[Hollyboba]

I've never done so in my life.

I usually have a wee snort at the preppers board when it pops up in general convos (sorry guys, no offence)

But reading about the Italian villages that have been put on lock down and families can't leave their homes has got me thinking...

Italy isn't a million miles away. Its not a 3rd world country. If its happened there...

Maybe just some bottles of water and some tinned goods? Medicines?

Am I going mad?

Just the more I read about the more sensible it seems. Even if it's not a case of being officially quarantined then it might be a good idea as it goes on not to have to go shopping as often as I do now?

Argh I don't know!

I'm not suggesting building a bunker in the back garden but making sure you've enough pasta, cereal, paracetamol makes sense to me.

Yep everyone get out there and Start panic buying bog rolls again

For me, it's looking ahead, realising that I'm lucky to have funds available and the space, and just bringing forward buying things I would have bought over a period of time. So instead of one bag of pasta a week, buying 4 bags. Rather than getting a new bag of rice when the old one's empty, getting one now. Filling the cupboard with soup, tomatoes, tinned fruit, flour, crackers etc in advance.

I'll still eat them all, but they last for months anyway, and when people are surging into supermarkets stripping the shelves I won't be adding to the masses worried they won't have enough. I'll be out of the way and not contributing to shortages. It's completely sensible and yes it's a very practical way to live anyway (and how people have always lived in remote areas or when they have unreliable incomes over time).

Honestly I can't believe anyone would really say that it's daft to have two week's food in the house! That only applies if you end up throwing things away, and I'm prepared to bet that the sort of people who like to get prepared are also the sort of people who don't waste any food in the normal run of things.

The toilet roll thing is a case in point - you're ALWAYS going to use them, they never go off, if you have the space and the money why wouldn't you buy them in bulk normally anyway! They're much cheaper and it's a horrible thing to run out of. I get 45 rolls at a time from Amazon and I don't think about buying them again for about 3 months. How this is supposed to be panicking or irrational I can't see for the life of me.

Yep everyone get out there and Start panic buying bog rolls again

It isn;t panic buying - that's the whole point. If you get things in now then the shops have plenty of time to replenish theirs stocks. Shops work on a just in time system. When the stock gets below a certain level they reorder and restock. Its only when the idiots who haven't bothered preparing dash out in an emergency situation and buy everything that people then suffer and can't get what they need.

Those who prepare in advance are doing everyone else a massive favour.

I think making sensible preparations to be comfortable should you be isolated and shops have few supplies for 2 weeks or so makes sense.

Thinking you can stockpile to protect yourself should things get a lot worse than that is delusional.

If you have the space and inclination it makes sense. I rarely buy some stuff fp, but don’t stock pile it enough to a meaningful extent. Cupboards are generally full to the brim though.

On the gun issue and loss of water tbh they just need to be more violent and use anything. Bit depressing. A few bottles will bring some peace of mind but if there’s no running water for a prolonged period we’re all in deep trouble.

Heh and the panic buying thing also comes up. Like clockwork

Stockpiling and panic buying are different things.

Are we already seeing shortages of things coming from China? I'd be surprised if not but I haven't seen anything in the press.

FGrom one of our large suppliers!

Coronavirus statement and FAQ

We take the current public health challenge linked to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) very seriously and we are closely monitoring the situation. We are applying the recommended health and hygiene practices in all aspects of our operations in the affected markets.
Whilst there are some regional challenges with the delivery of our products within China, our facilities and transportation in China are fully operational.

Q. Do you have any face masks in stock?

A. Demand has been unprecedented for face masks and currently we have limited stock. We are working with our suppliers to try to secure additional stock and will allocate this accordingly when they become available.

Q. What is your stock position on other Personal Protective Equipment products?

A. We are investing significantly in those PPE products that we are seeing higher than usual demand for. Those include: Aprons, Disposable Gloves, Hand Cleaners and Soaps, Hand Wipes, Multi-purpose Wipes, Overalls, Reusable Respirators, Reusable Respirator Accessories and Safety Goggles.

Q. What about wider stock availability, do you anticipate any issues?

A. We hold a good depth of inventory. We have been in contact with all our suppliers to confirm the availability of stock and we are confident that we are currently in a strong position.

Q. Are you prioritising stock for China?

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Well you're not unreasonable if that's what you want to do but it's not going to be necessary I'm sure. So much panic around as usual. I only have to peep at the prepping corona threads on here to see they're full of folk who have anxiety issues and they've had to move on from Brexit (for now) cos nothing happened. This is just another opportunity to stress and panic.

Pretty sure this virus doesn't take account of whether you have anxiety or not. @PrettyyGood
As for the nonsense idea that "Brexit went fine so this is just some other silliness for people to worry needlessly about " - We Are In A Transition Period on Brexit because Johnson caved over NI and we got a withdrawal agreement. Which ends on 31 December 2020.
Sensible advanced purchasing is what the army did in advance of Brexit. And are probably doing now. Is that silly panicking?

2 weeks locked up as a couple? Good time to prep and check you have contraceptives too (presuming you are not feeling too sick and are only self isolating).

Also how else would you defend your stockpile against a mob, even if they don't have guns?

If you use an illegally-held firearm to defend your stockpile, you are going to jail when the crisis is over. If your firearm is legally held and you a) live outside Northern Ireland or b) don't have "personal protection weapon" listed as a reason on your firearms certificate (pdf) and you use it to defend your stockpile, you are going to jail when the crisis is over.

Of course, an attacker will very likely grab your gun and kill you with it, or simply knife you. In the close quarters of your home, a gun will not protect you against a knife wielder, especially as you have probably got zero firearms training.

We had been running down the cupboards so I have restocked a good supply of canned/dried goods. All the things we use anyway like tomatoes, tuna, pasta, rice, sweetcorn etc. I also made sure we have plenty of medicine, nappies and loo roll in. Best case scenario we just have lots in stock and can save time and money over the coming months. Worst case then we wont be joining the surge for the shops, especially as we are both NHS and will be needed at work or with our DC, I dont want to be taking a toddler to the supermarket if people are panicking.

Personally I think while in the worst case it could be a rough ride, especially for the sick and elderly, I think we will all muddle on through. My biggest concern is general panic, people can turn into animals when there is a bit of snow so I would prefer to be kept away from it all.

Do the people who think brexit went fine not pay attention to any news or do they just have really short memories?

If someone acts illegally over a two week lockdown, they will find the long arm of the law catching up with them pretty quickly. Look what happened to those looters and rioters when it all kicked off a few years ago.

I'm not a prepped but I'm a single parent/carer on benefits so money is tight.

Every time I go shopping I buy a few cheap tins of ravioli, spaghetti bololgnese, baked beans with sausages, soup and super noodles so if I do have a time where I'm completely skint we have something to eat. Also handy if I'm ill or cba to cook!

I'll continue stocking up and will add some spaghetti and rice and cheap jars of sauce to it. Should stock up the freezer really, it's quite empty except for some veg.

I could have written your post exactly, OP. The same thought crossed my mind. We have a cellar, which is a bit damp, but if I got a decent plastic storage box, I could keep some things down there.

I’m really surprised at myself.

If you've got the money and space, I'd say it's a sensible thing to do and doesn't do anyone any harm. Better to do most of it now, while supermarkets can restock. For me, I'd say don't buy anything you wouldn't normally use or be happy to eat, with the exception of hand sanitizer which we don't normally use. Our Lidl seems to have a constant supply (and it's 70%) by the tills, 50p for a small container, so that's worth considering for while you're out.

I've learnt the hard way, at the time of the 2007 floods, I needed to do a main shop but DH come home with the car for 36 hous. By the time I got to Tescos, the whole place had literally been ransacked, I literally just walked past all the empty fresh, fridge,, freezer and drinks selves, and just had to pick up what I could and it was stuff we'd normally eat or enjoy.

Makes me chuckle when people ask why they have stored water. Woke up this morning in our area to no water due to burst water main. Did i give a shit? No, I’ve got 12l of water in the garage at all times for our family of 4.

@bellinisurge honestly, it makes no difference to me if you decide to stockpile enough to keep you going for the next decade. You do you!

This is a post in AIBU and I answered the question posed. The majority of people on these sort of prepping threads are those suffering with anxiety and they like the idea of planning to give them sort sort of perceived control. And that's fine.

Just because my view doesn't chime with yours doesn't make you right btw

The corona virus has arrived in my area, a local Doctors is on shut down while a deep clean crew are in.

I've been hospitalised with the ordinary corona virus before and have an underlying health condition, in my 50's so it does concern me. Even if I'm hospitalised it means my DD can't work and as she is on minimum wage, things will be very tight. I'd have to give her the money that I'm saving while in hospital.

If I was older and didn't have to provide child care I'd rather stay in for the next week, to see how things go.

We are apparently going to have issues with any food stuffs/drinks that need a sugar free additive that comes from China, if things continue.

So it's for everyone to decide their own circumstances.

Plus we've already had a thread from someone whose, been advised to self isolate but doesn't know if she is going to get paid.

There's already been a call for the government to have a fund for people who aren't going to be paid. Which is another reason that people might want to buy extra in.

@PrettyyGood , yes there are people with anxiety on tbe boards. But they are not the majority of people on those boards. Please be accurate.

I’m loving the ‘I’m absolutely not a prepper but....I happen to have several weeks-worth of food in my cupboards and freezers’
That’s prepping.

Or just rather disorganised and don't need to count every penny! I probably do have two weeks worth of calories but more due to the 'oh bogof I will get six because we will use them eventually' and 'did I get tomato puree last week or did I dream it, oh well may as well get some more'.

I do though need to make sure I get some more cat food, then worst case scenario I can serve up James Wellbeloved gluten free turkey soup and see if anyone spots the croutons are actually cat food biscuits.