Shopping During a Pandemic

[SGOS]

There is no Covid-19 in my county reported yet.  I shopped yesterday at Aldi's for bread that I like.  It was early, and the supplies were low.  I was only allowed two loaves.  I usually buy six, because it's a 60 mile round trip.  Aldi's has wide isles, and even in an empty store, 6 feet of social distance requires swift sidestepping.  I have considered doing future shopping at Dollar General, because as a convenience store, there is seldom a crowd.  But the isles are narrow and 6 feet of social distancing is impossible.  What I'd really like to do is isolate as much as possible.

With rationing as I experienced it, hoarding is controlled, but it also results in more people making more frequent trips to the store, which increases risk, so I'm wondering about the negative social reaction to hoarders.  I see it as a two edged sword with both benefits and drawbacks to society as a whole.  Going to the store once every two months, seems less risk than going three times a week.

There is no perfect way to deal with this problem.  I recently read an article finding fault with senior only hours being promoted at a few stores (none in my area at all).  It included interviews with customers that described crowds and cheaters, and one guy interviewed said outside the store, "If you didn't have Covid-19 before you went shopping, you will have it now."  Dollar General advertises such a program, but there is no store security to enforce it, and I see no such hours posted on the door.  My rural area is just now seeing affects of hoarding, rationing, and distancing.  My Walmart used to be open 24 hours, but now during the pandemic, it closes at 8:00PM further concentrating customers during normal shopping hours.

[Mike Cl]

There is no Covid-19 in my county reported yet.  I shopped yesterday at Aldi's for bread that I like.  It was early, and the supplies were low.  I was only allowed two loaves.  I usually buy six, because it's a 60 mile round trip.  Aldi's has wide isles, and even in an empty store, 6 feet of social distance requires swift sidestepping.  I have considered doing future shopping at Dollar General, because as a convenience store, there is seldom a crowd.  But the isles are narrow and 6 feet of social distancing is impossible.  What I'd really like to do is isolate as much as possible.

With rationing as I experienced it, hoarding is controlled, but it also results in more people making more frequent trips to the store, which increases risk, so I'm wondering about the negative social reaction to hoarders.  I see it as a two edged sword with both benefits and drawbacks to society as a whole.  Going to the store once every two months, seems less risk than going three times a week.

There is no perfect way to deal with this problem.  I recently read an article finding fault with senior only hours being promoted at a few stores (none in my area at all).  It included interviews with customers that described crowds and cheaters, and one guy interviewed said outside the store, "If you didn't have Covid-19 before you went shopping, you will have it now."  Dollar General advertises such a program, but there is no store security to enforce it, and I see no such hours posted on the door.  My rural area is just now seeing affects of hoarding, rationing, and distancing.  My Walmart used to be open 24 hours, but now during the pandemic, it closes at 8:00PM further concentrating customers during normal shopping hours.

That was a problem--shopping for fresh produce and which store would be safest (if any).  I then remembered that Raley's had started a computer program--you make a list and they fill it and you just pick it up.  When looking for that program stumbled across Instacart; it will allow you to chose from a list of things to buy, you check the list and a shopper will gather them and bring them to your home.  Something like 8/10 stores use it, including Costco.  So we gave it a try, ordered from Costco and they delivered to our door within 3 hrs.  It cost us a little over $11 beyond the cost of the goods; well worth it.  Did not have to get very close to the delivery guy--had him put the items on the porch--when he left I disinfected all the packages and then brought them in.  I live in a town with 85,000; so, if a small town like mine has this service, maybe where you live will something like it.  Now I feel confident we could stay house bound for several months if need be.

[SGOS]

I live in a town with 85,000; so, if a small town like mine has this service, maybe where you live will something like it.  Now I feel confident we could stay house bound for several months if need be.

The closest to this is Walmart's shop on the internet and pick up, but that involves going into the store and waiting at customer service.  Three people in that line is a long drawn out procedure that is like waiting in a checkout line with 30 people.

I will look up instacart.  Costco is 100 miles away, but they will ship many nonperishables by mail.  I've got enough of those already.  It's just a normal part of my larder.

[Mike Cl]

The closest to this is Walmart's shop on the internet and pick up, but that involves going into the store and waiting at customer service.  Three people in that line is a long drawn out procedure that is like waiting in a checkout line with 30 people.

I will look up instacart.  Costco is 100 miles away, but they will ship many nonperishables by mail.  I've got enough of those already.  It's just a normal part of my larder.

I thought Merced was isolated. :)  All we really need every now and again will be fresh produce which we can have delivered to us.  Plus, I live in a huge valley that is about 600/700 miles long and produces much of our countries fresh produce; hence there are several roadside fruit/veg stands selling produce.  But that still means leaving the house, which I will not do for awhile.  Good luck on your hunt for groceries.

[SGOS]

Instarcart here requires in store pickup.

[Mike Cl]

That's too bad.  But that does cut down the exposure time anyway.  You must really be out in the country!

[Sal1981]

We can order out here. Red Cross is even volunteering to drive out grocery goods out to people in quarantines.

[Baruch]

Unless you get full shutdown.  Then no food, no meds, nada.  Can't have stuff delivered if there are no delivery vehicles allowed, and the post office/Federal Express is shut down.

[SGOS]

I expect more options for sanitary shopping may become available as this goes on.  I'm hoping it happens in rural areas too. 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Anybody wants 6' distance, they can go get it.

[GSOgymrat]

In October my husband retired from the airlines after 35 years and now works at Trader Joe's (grocery store). He can bring home food, and hopefully not coronavirus. We are lucky to both be working but we are definitely more exposed. Considering that experts estimate 40-70% of people will contract coronavirus we are anticipating eventually we will get it.

[Shiranu]

...85,000; so, if a small town like mine has this service

I know this has nothing to do with the topic at hand, but damn you and I have vastly different ideas of what a small town is lol. That is a good sized city... a town is like where I live, where we have about 20000 people, and that's honestly a lot larger than where I grew up, a proper small town (around 4000 people). Even that is on the large size though.

[Baruch]

In October my husband retired from the airlines after 35 years and now works at Trader Joe's (grocery store). He can bring home food, and hopefully not coronavirus. We are lucky to both be working but we are definitely more exposed. Considering that experts estimate 40-70% of people will contract coronavirus we are anticipating eventually we will get it.

Hope not.  Dress up as Chick-Fil-A cows, to get herd immunity ;-)  I am also lucky to be retired from military medical IT admin.

[Baruch]

I know this has nothing to do with the topic at hand, but damn you and I have vastly different ideas of what a small town is lol. That is a good sized city... a town is like where I live, where we have about 20000 people, and that's honestly a lot larger than where I grew up, a proper small town (around 4000 people). Even that is on the large size though.

Best size in US ... 40,000 with a college ;-)

[Mike Cl]

I know this has nothing to do with the topic at hand, but damn you and I have vastly different ideas of what a small town is lol. That is a good sized city... a town is like where I live, where we have about 20000 people, and that's honestly a lot larger than where I grew up, a proper small town (around 4000 people). Even that is on the large size though.

I guess 85,000 isn't that small.  But by comparison, it is.  50 miles south Fresno has close to a million and 35 the other way Modesto has about 250,000.  And Merced has a small city mentality in that the-good-old-boys run the show.  Even with a full blown university here (fairly new) it is still small town thinking.  It's nickname is Merdead.  Neither Wholefoods nor Trader Joe's will build here because too many are uneducated or undereducated; we asked corporate and that was the message they gave us.  It is ag based and has a huge diversity of cultures--Mexican, Hmomg, Punjobi, skinhead types, and more.  It is a little bible belt as well with old white men running the show.  White power is strong.  Christian mainly--so it is usually a backward thinking area.  Loved Bush and they love Trump.