Health Issues The Everything Covid 19 Thread

[Emma JC]

Has anyone else noticed a shortage of some foods in the grocery store? I have been shocked, the past 2 or 3 times that I have been out, at the number of empty shelves with "out of stock" notices on them. This Saturday was the worst so far. There hasn't been any refried beans in cans (yes, I am now making my own), almost no items like soy sauce, tamari and other asian products. Lots of the shelves where the canned beans are, are empty or depleted. Same with the canned tomatoes. The store that I shop in is a very large grocery store, which is part of a huge chain of stores (Loblaws) here in Canada, so we are not talking a small local grocery store. The produce section is still doing well, thankfully, and the frozen berries are back. Prices however are at least 10-15% higher on almost everything.

I have decided that I will be starting to stock up again on certain foods, especially if I see them on sale. We are doing much better here than in the USA however what happens there affects us here so I can't imagine how tough it could get.

Emma JC

 

[Lou]

I rarely go into grocery stores but i do get curbside delivery from Safeway (an American large chain Supermarket). Last week they were out of soy milk. I went to Trader Joes and bought soy milk - both refrigerated and some redi - packs - just in case.

 

[Emma JC]

I rarely go into grocery stores but i do get curbside delivery from Safeway (an American large chain Supermarket). Last week they were out of soy milk. I went to Trader Joes and bought soy milk - both refrigerated and some redi - packs - just in case.

btw Safeway, is one of the stores that carries Breyer's non-dairy ice cream

Emma JC

 

[Lou]

btw Safeway, is one of the stores that carries Breyer's non-dairy ice cream

Emma JC

It's not on the "order online" menu. Plus one time I ordered Ben and Jerry's non-dairy frozen dessert and got the regular ice cream. So I'm hesitant to do that again. But if I ever get to go into a Safeway - I will look for it.
Made a special trip to TJs and got their soy creamery chocolate cherry which will last me a good long while.

 

[silva]

I rarely go into grocery stores but i do get curbside delivery from Safeway (an American large chain Supermarket). Last week they were out of soy milk. I went to Trader Joes and bought soy milk - both refrigerated and some redi - packs - just in case.

Good to know TJ's still has shelf stable soy beverage (called beverage not milk- just recently noticed!). Mine was completely out, but I didn't get to ask

 

[KLS52]

@Emma JC its crazy...I went to a Big Y today. I was excited because it was my first time there. It’s a really nice store.They were well stocked with a lot of items but some shelves were still empty. I don’t understand why we are not back to normal at this point.

When I do curbside pickup from stop n shop, which is most of the time, I end up with at least a third of my order out of stock. They are the worst. I’m not wanting for anything necessary but it’s still annoying to me.

So I end up going into a store about once a month when I become desperate for something.

 

[Emma JC]

There are two issues I think - there is food insecurity, which is where people can't actually afford to buy food due to job losses, price increases and covid associated illness. The second issue is about actual shortages because there are challenges getting people to harvest the produce, and many industries are facing increased costs and time delays due to safety precautions etc.

I don't know where this is heading so beans, legumes, spices, canned tomatoes etc are going to be on the top of my stock up list. Our biggest challenge is that we are hoping to move before winter arrives and having to move a lot "food" is not at the top of wish list. So we will have to make a decision, at some point soon, and decide if we stock up for winter or not.

Emma JC

 

[KLS52]

I had to move twice...to temporary housing in February then to our permanent home in May. Packing up the food and moving it was not fun. The only saving grace was that we stored our stuff at my daughter’s for the three months so the non perishables stayed there. But that meant not having a lot of stuff once lockdown started in March so I had a hard time getting staples. I remember having no flour or yeast. It was not a happy time for me. Lol.

 

[Freesia]

im not sure what the case is with all places but i heard rumours that shelves are stripped and the goods are taken overseas and sold there.... or the goods are auctioned privately. Pretty unfair behavior.

Even though food stocks here seem relatively back to normal, with some odd products missing at times, i have noticed lately that appliances are going missing, namely kitchen appliances, Kmart had empty shelves where the electric cooking items were, i went there to buy an electric juice squeezer and they were all gone, and Auckland apparentlywas devoid of these juice squeezers , when stores were phoned in search of them.

So somebody somewhere must have a lot of kitchen appliances at their house.

 

[Lou]

I think the empty shelves have to do with the "supply chain". In the global economy, a lot of stuff we rely on comes from over seas. And the supply chain relies on workers - some of whom are employed by businesses that are closed.

 

[Chryssie]

I haven't noticed any major food shortages at Publix or Walmart. Some canned goods seem to sell out quickly but I haven't had a problem getting what I need. I think Lou is right about the supply chain.

 

[Val]

I think the empty shelves have to do with the "supply chain". In the global economy, a lot of stuff we rely on comes from over seas. And the supply chain relies on workers - some of whom are employed by businesses that are closed.

Our biggest grocery store chains have clearly reoriented their goals. If previously they were trying to provide a diversity of products and, of course, not of them were essential,- then now they simply don't order many things from manufacturers. Like they're trying to provide only essential items, but in bigger amounts than it used to be before the LD. People have calmed down a little (about hoarding, stockpiling and panic buying, lol), but they still behave like swines: they push each other, grab items like crazy so that a person next to them couldn't grab it first, they "sit on other people's head" while standing in a queue, etc. *facepalm*. So, every grocery store's administration tries to prevent people interacting with each other too much and gathering in crowds, and swarming at a checkout. They also try to avoid shortages of essential items, such as hygiene items, which are surprisingly in high demand now. It looks like people used to be lazy and dirty individuals, and now they suddenly want to be clean, shiny and to have their virginity back. Seriously speaking, there are plenty of food in one-stop grocery stores, but the delicacies are gone. The place (on shelves) of delicacies is now occupied by expanded stock of buckwheat (haha, this buckwheat madness has been driving people crazy since the time when the LD was only approaching). If something happens, Russians run and stock up on buckwheat. I'm so lucky that i don't eat it (i eat other grains).

 

[silva]

I've stuck with Aldis and still see the paper product aisle with bare shelves. I had stocked up on TP just prior to the covid! Yeast came back.
They have a crazy overstock of rice! Different white basmati brands! It's been like that from the beginning .
I just can't get over the conspiracists and deniers. They're what's worrying me about this 2020 election....

 

[Freesia]

I think the empty shelves have to do with the "supply chain". In the global economy, a lot of stuff we rely on comes from over seas. And the supply chain relies on workers - some of whom are employed by businesses that are closed.

In some ways yes but we dont have a problem with that here, it is definitely shelf stripping, it was quite obvious when i went there because somebody had bought all the kitchen appliances but the next shelf had other house appliances which were all there, but same manfacturer.... and we were told this was the case across the city...

 

[Lou]

As seen on Last Week Tonight

And Now This: We Promise You: These People Are Not Saying "Masturbate"

 

[Raven]

I really haven't been keeping up with the news lately. Some people on another forum were saying that they heard that Boris Johnson said there could be another lockdown in two weeks.

I just ordered basic stuff I ran out of quickly before like toilet paper, hand wash and cat litter.

 

[Val]

Boris Johnson said there could be another lockdown in two weeks.

That's what our local NTV news said! (But it's not 100%). Like, "If things get worse, then maybe"... (We have an "insider" in London, a very pretty correspondent-woman, whose name is Liza Gerson, and she has become so British-looking while living in the UK, that she speaks Russian with British accent).
Our own authorities are hoping to avoid another LD in autumn, though it's clear that when children go to school... don't wanna think about it...

 

[Raven]

I am going to be far more prepared this time if it does happen. I'm glad we booked our weekend away this weekend as I would be so annoyed if I had to cancel another day out/ concert etc...

 

[Lou]

Man Demonstrates The Effectiveness Of Masks With Starter Fluid, Mannequin Heads And A Propane Torch | Digg

Uncle Rob performs a badass science experiment on masks by simulating coughs with volatile, flammable liquids.

digg.com

Spoiler Alert:
They work way better than expected.

 

[Emma JC]

Man Demonstrates The Effectiveness Of Masks With Starter Fluid, Mannequin Heads And A Propane Torch | Digg

Uncle Rob performs a badass science experiment on masks by simulating coughs with volatile, flammable liquids.

digg.com

Spoiler Alert:
They work way better than expected.

that is amazing!! and funny at the end

Everyone should wear one all the time when away from home - our province is about to make mask wearing mandatory in apartment and condo buildings, for which I am thankful as I have always worn one anyways and most people do not. Even the very senior people.

Also this... a friend sent it to me today and it is so true for us!

Emma JC