Genuinely worried about starvation? Can anyone clarify?

[freddotalks]

I'm not going out and buying things as I don't want to be part of the problem. But I'm beginning to worry? I can't order online as there's no slots for weeks, I can go into store as usual but beginning to become more hesitant about doing so with my 8 month old, we've already struggled to find his formula. I'm at a loss what to do without rushing round a few local shops and stock piling myself but as I've said then I'm part of the problem. If a total lock down happens now we have enough food for a couple of days and that's it. What do we do then? Starve?

** food

Don’t forget your local corner shops

People keep posting empty shelves but there is loads of other food to have. I think what we think we need and what we need are miles apart. That said, food does wonders for moral.

Starvation is a long way off yet.

For the babies formula I would hunt down your local parenting groups and see if there’s anyone willing to sell you some of their stock. I’ve seen a couple of groups started with the aim of mums sharing basics if they possibly can.

I think everyone should have 1 - 2 weeks food in the house in case they need to self-isolate. That isn't panicking - it's being sensible and realistic.
Go to the shops tomorrow or Monday and stock up on things you are likely to need.

Are you on your own with your 8-month old? Can you leave him with your partner or a family member?

I'm in a country which is closing all shops from Monday - that is all shops EXCEPT food shops and pharmacies and the Superdrug equivalent. We have also been told we really shouldn't be leaving the house unless absolutely necessary (they have stopped short of imposing this legally, it's a recommendation at the moment). There were 3 exceptions to this and one of them was to go to the shops to buy provisions.

Just go to the shop. You'll be fine. I've just got back from tesco, there were a few gaps but plenty of food. Whizz round with your baby in the pushchair if you don't want to use a trolley and get a basket of basics. My 91 year old grandma is still going to the shops 2 or 3 times a week and will keep doing so.

@Herpesfreesince03

It’s because of people with a selfish attitude like you that the shelves are empty.
We are all supposed to be supporting one another in this crisis, especially the elderly and vulnerable in our communities. Shops and supermarkets will be able to cope if everyone just buys sensibly. Panic buying like you have done is very selfish.

For gods sake go and get enough food for your baby (and yourself) for the forthcoming lockin.
Your baby needs both food and a (fed) you.

Only really stocked up on cat food, not getting stuck in house with hungry cats.

There might come a time when old tomcat stew might be needed;!!!!

The government are really not going to do a 'total lock down', at least not for a good few weeks. They aren't even closing schools yet! You could ask at your local supermarket when they get deliveries in and pop in then to get what you need for the week.

This is why the UK all need to start the lockdown. There is a calm after the lockdown. There's a plan, the government are in control, there is action in the inaction, people stop panic buying as they see that shops are still open and running as normal. This in between stage is worse than lock down, let me tell you. Also, in lockdown you realise this thing is a real risk and people start actually following the official advice, which is to stay at home and limit movement.

Today I went shopping to get pack lunch things in for our dc, the shelves were almost bare, aisles with tickets saying out of stock, no soap, no tins apart from sardines, no loo roll, formula sold out, nothing left in terms of flour, sugar etc. Few 80+ people in tears a theyve been all over trying to find basics like soap.

Just seen pictures of Tesco stores left looking like there has been a riot by shoppers, what I don't understand is certain items are being limited online but these shoppers appear to have loads of the same items in their trolleys to buy, are there 2 different rules ?
If this is allowed surley the restriction on items should apply to both online and in shops to give others a chance to buy things.

Even if there is a lockdown, we'll still be allowed to go to the supermarket on certain days of the week or certain times. People have to eat and supermarket home delivery simply doesn't have the capacity to deliver to every house in the country.

You do realise that not being able to get an online shopping slot doesn't equal starvation for a healthy adult?

'Ocado is fully booked' doesn't have quite the same ring as 'famine' for one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Is anyone seriously that unhinged and desperate to find something ridiculous to panic about they believe that in countries where people do die of starvation it's because their online shopping service failed?

General feeling I get and from talking to people in the shops, they dont trust boko and are buying everything to isolate their families. He wants herd immunity but no one wants to contract it...

Weird. I went to the shops today and it was fine. London zone 3 so no rural idyll but plenty of food, especially fresh food. They even had stacks of paracetamol stacked up by the tills to tempt you into an impulse buy. I guess there are pockets of panic and pockets of calm?

Even in countries under lockdown, food shops and pharmacies are still open. There won't be a plan that stops people being able to get food.

Definitely a pocket of calm here. I'm in a major uk city but my local 24 hour tesco has lots of food. The only real gaps were loo roll, pasta, some tins and fresh chicken. No one panicking. I think the media have a lot to do with whipping up drama where there is none.

None of my superstores had but small co op did try a smaller shop or off licence
My kids are abit older so bo baby milk or nappies but i know if i couldnt get it i would be panicking

Last week I went out and bought 2/3 months worth of medications and cleaning supplies, and about 5 weeks worth of food. As of today my supermarkets have not only been out of stock of toilet paper/dried/frozen goods for a week, but they’re not completely out of fresh food including fruit, fresh meat and eggs. This is the first time I’ve admitted online to be a ‘panic’ buyer because we’re all ‘selfish’, expect my panic buying was motivated by not wanted my 3 children to go without food and basic hygiene products, I wouldn’t have bothered if it were just myself. How tf is that selfish?

@Herpesfreesince03 It's selfish because while you now have months worth of supplies at home, other people can't buy the things they need for this week. Your actions are the reason those shelves are empty. You need enough for two weeks, at most, for self-isolation. You do not need 2-3 months worth.

How can you not see how selfish this is?

Personally I'm taking this as an opportunity to lose some weight We've bought a 10kg bag of rice, lentils and chickpeas from the local Indian shop. If the worst happens we can eat that for weeks. We might even lose some weight..

You're not going to be "part of the problem" if you buy food when you need it.

You're hardly stripping the shelves unnecessarily and stockpiling 144 toilet roles and 15 packs of paracetamol.

Just go to the shops at the beginning of the day, when their deliveries have come in and they've put everything out on the shelves. It isn't difficult.

I can understand your fear of taking your baby out but not the fear of starvation, there will be plenty of food and when the panic buying stops all the empty shelves will be full again.
My advice to you would be to go early in the morning when shelves have been restocked, wipe down the shopping trolley with disinfectant wipes and anything on the trolley your baby is likely to touch. Neither you or your baby will go hungry.

Who only has 2 days worth of food in there house even on a normal day?!

I could probably survive two weeks with all the normal staples that live in the cupboard