If it were cholera it would be a whole different situation, but it's not like you're going to need any more than the usual amount of TP for a respiratory illness. I was at Costco about a week before things really went off the rails and I bought the large pack of TP that I usually buy when I go to Costco. There was still a fair amount of TP although the stack was lower than usual, but I didn't think much of it. I did notice that a number of shoppers were stocking up on it, plus bottled water (I haven't figured that one out, either). It didn't occur to me to buy more than I came there for.
What happens, I think, is that when people see other people buying a lot of something during some unusual circumstance they start thinking that they will need that thing, too, and there won't be enough of it. So they buy more, which creates a shortage, which makes even more people panic buy and it all snowballs. Also, there are the special assholes who are buying things like TP and hand sanitizer in huge quantities so they can sell it at a profit. Amazon and some other online sellers have started shutting these dbags down, fortunately.
The paper product companies are making more TP and the stores will be restocked - I hope before too much longer. I hope by then the panic buying will have subsided. People can be stupid dicks sometimes, and it really comes out when they're scared.
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