The Psychological Pandemonium From The Covid-19 Pandemic

I’ve kept large bottles of hand sanitizer in my bathroom and small containers in my vehicle or purse for years. I’ve been using the disenfectant wipes In the front of grocery stores for as long as they have been offered. I routinely wipe down car seats and spray inside my vehicles with disenfectant and always have a bottle of alcohol, witch hazel, and peroxide on hand without much thought, until now. Because of the mass hysteria and hoarding mentality associated with the coronavirus, life is more difficult than it needs to be. I did not panic and hoard toilet paper but I did purchase a few extra roles. I was in a store today, where a large number of shoppers showed up all at once and devoured the toilet paper. Some were talking loudly, others were on their phones alerting friends and relatives of the store’s location and announcing that toilet paper was being sold.

Within less than 10 minutes all of the toilet paper that had just been put in the shelves was gone and the checkout line was backed up. For the past two weeks, this store and others have been sold out of hand sanitizer but a truck was scheduled for this morning at this location. I arrived at 9:00 am only to be told the truck was late and to check back in a few hours. I went back to the store at 11:30 and still no truck. On my way home from another stop, I checked at about 12:10 and was told the truck driver said he would be there in an hour. I returned at 2:00 PM and saw the truck in the back of the store. One employee was unloading all the boxes by himself. I walked around and talked to other shoppers for about 30 minutes only to be told that there were a lot of paper products so the boxes with Lysol and hand sanitizer would be about another hour.

I left and came back at 3:00 only to find out that there was no hand sanitizer in the shipment. All I wanted was to purchase two bottles as I always do and I can’t. I spent most of my day checking and waiting on a product that I was not able to find. On my way home, my hands began to feel dry and dirty. I had plenty of bars of soap, and liquid antibacterial soap at home, along with baby wipes and wet ones. I use them regularly but the notion that I had no control over when I could purchase hand sanitizer, alcohol or witch hazel again was driving me mad. The fact that my choice had been taken away and I had no control was really getting next to me.

It’s now another week snd still no hand sanitizer anywhere. I did find a bottle of 70% alcohol and will use it but it’s not the same. My aunt informed me that Clorox and Lysol are selling out and I’m glad I have a container of bleach on hand. I don’t have any name brand Lysol and now I sm desiring thst snrll of the lemon scented version and believing that my genetic brands are not working so well. I know it’s all in my head but it’s so real. I hate walking into the various stores and seeing no paper towels or toilet tissue on the shelves. How much of this can people hoard and not use? Why are people so selfish and self serving. My aunt said she was told of people selling toilet paper for quadruple the price. What I want to know is who is dumb enough to purchase it?

My middle grandchild came to visit today and was watching cartoons. A commercial came on saying to sing the Happy birthday song twice to make sure you have washed your hands long enough and before I knew it. I was in the kitchen washing my hands and singing Happy birthday. I don’t have a problem with changed becoming my new normal because I can adapt easily. I’m having problems with the way everyone else is behaving, Babershops and beauty salons closing don’t affect me because my daughter and I do our own hair. Her children are wearing natural styles and were already home schooled so they are not affected by school closing. I do become concerned with so many people on ventilators that are breathing for them and I hurt for families of those who died. A 12 year old girl was reported to be in serious condition with the coronavirus but my 90 year old aunt is out driving around doing her own shopping.

Everything drums do random and unpredictable and at first I thought my neck of the woods had been spared. Now there have been six confirmed cases in the area and one in my city. This is nothing compared to what’s going on in New York, but every life matters. It’s been a week since I began writing this article and still no hand sanitizer. The stores are limiting toilet paper and everything is closing down. I went to pick up my new computer and they took my debit card at the door then brought the fence to my car. I watched the employee lock the door behind him each time and shook my head. At Pizza Hut they also had curbside service and all I could do was shake my head. I will be 62 in June and just realized that I had attended Easter Sunday services my entire life except for 2008. This will be the firs year the choice was not mine.I ran into a friend yesterday and we almost hugged as we usually do. Simultaneously we pulled back and just chatted. I keep telling myself “ Welcome to the new normal" . I hope we don't stay here much longer.