Seattleites are panic buying amid coronavirus fears (PHOTOS)
After Gov. Jay Inslee issued a statewide emergency declaration on Saturday after the first reported coronavirus-linked death of a Kirkland man in his 50s, some Seattelites have embarked on crazy shopping sprees — with one family even going to the extreme of wearing 5-gallon water bottles on their heads as masks.
A Costco employee told Daily Hive that anything to do with coronavirus is “pretty much sold out,” including hand sanitizer, toilet paper, and water.
The employee wasn’t sure when the next shipment of toilet paper was going to be in but said that it could be as early as this afternoon.
According to Twitter user Anjela Bugher, Whole Foods locations were out of rice, frozen vegetables, unscented hand soap, and most flavors of LaCroix.
Another Twitter user mentioned that people were going for paper towels, dish soap, sanitizer, fruits, beans, cans, cereal, pasta, rice, and anything drinkable. He also shared images of the empty grocery shelves.
— The Conliberaltarianist (@TheConliberalt1) March 2, 2020
Here’s what others had to say about the Seattle shopping situation:
Kroger stores ( QFC, Fred Meyers) limiting purchases of sanitizers, Cold and Flu medicine in wake of Coronavirus concerns. #CoronaVirusSeattle pic.twitter.com/6GHvmmjVJL
— John Hopperstad (@JohnHopperstad) March 3, 2020
There were SOME toilet paper left! #CoronaVirusSeattle
But why are people buying water? You know the tap water is safe right?#WashYourHands pic.twitter.com/Y3ksh5TmK4
— Gary Merritt (@MrGaryMerritt) March 3, 2020
4 us po folk out here…after voting I took a trip 2 my local #dollartree 4 sum #AloeVera gel & rubbing #alcohol 😯current situation⬇️⬇️⬇️ So much 4 #handmade #handsanitizer #handwashing #Covid_19 #coronavirus #CoronaOutbreak #CoronaVirusSeattle #coronaviruswashington #COVIDー19 pic.twitter.com/jAuDmdHYoB
— oddobahn (@oddobahn) March 3, 2020
No toiletpaper and long lines. #CoronaVirusSeattle pic.twitter.com/XbfGkZrMYJ
— immigrants make america great 🇮🇷🇺🇸 (@sunflowerinsea) March 3, 2020
#CoronaVirusSeattle#CostcoPanicBuying
Thank God there’s Tequila. pic.twitter.com/tZTR4NNRQQ— bennyboy51773 🎯 (@bennyboy51773) March 3, 2020
Mass #coronavirusus hysteria has officially hit the grocery stores in and around the Seattle area! Everyone has officially hit the panic button #COVID #coronavirusus #Seattle @KIRO7Seattle @KING5Seattle @komonews @Q13FOX pic.twitter.com/ja3TZDrGjm
— Stephanie Rencehausen (@SRencehausen) March 1, 2020
(Left) pic is Target in downtown Seattle. (Righ)t pic is QFC on Capital Hill Seattle. Cleaning supply and paper towel isles sold out. #CoronaOutbreak #Seattle #CoronaVirusSeattle #Covid_19. #COVID pic.twitter.com/KsNlXLJ2FU
— FE_Trumpster Jason (@XrayJ76) March 3, 2020
Hand sanitizer cleaned out at Walmart in Lynnwood. #CoronaVirusSeattle pic.twitter.com/EXrrbnBz0c
— John Hopperstad (@JohnHopperstad) March 3, 2020
she’s from seattle and said it’s crazy as hell over there and you literally can’t buy masks or hand sanitizer anywhere and most grocery stores are sold out of all their frozen foods 😂😂 makes me think they know something that i don’t 💀😂
— p (@paytincraddock) March 2, 2020
We went to stock up on pet food 90 miles north of seattle and there were several other people doing the same thing. Grocery stores are really busy too
— Mama, we all go to hell (@cassiefacie) February 29, 2020
Toilet paper aisle cleaned out at local Fred Meyer just north of Seattle (3/2/2020). #CoronaOutbreak #COVID19 #Seattle #CoronaVirusSeattle pic.twitter.com/Y7oLD5PphS
— Ben Silverman (@BenMeddle) March 3, 2020
so i live in seattle and people out here are losing their minds. people are shopping wearing masks and today one couple had a cart full of just the huge canisters of quaker oats 😂🤔 pic.twitter.com/Syyn94ZIdw
— 𝓫𝓲𝓽𝓬𝓱𝓬𝓪𝓴𝓮𝓼 🦠 𝐼𝐼 (@meatballsandwi4) March 2, 2020