All the people that help supply our food have to eat too, so they won't be shutting down soon.

[brewens]

I don't know what's going to happen, or what they will go through, but I sure appreciate their efforts. I was a grocery guy, beer guy, then dairy guy. That's hard work in normal times. I never even wanted to be a long haul trucker. Those guys and the farmers, ranchers and people in food processing plants have to keep going.

That's one of the reasons to cooperate with the hardships we will be asked to endure. You don't want to be the one that infects a tissue mill worker or someone like that.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. I'm grateful for my job as a cashier in a grocery store.

Yeah, I'm exposing myself to the Virus, but I'm working and working to help people.

[bronxiteforever]

4. Thank you! May you and yours stay healthy.

[PaulRevere08]

13. Thank you!! You are truly on the front line of keep society moving and

me and my family appreciate it.

[polmaven]

22. Ditto!

I, too, am a grocery store cashier, coming face to face with ordinary people every day, and I agree with you that we are working to help people.

[IronLionZion]

23. Thank you so much

I used to do it back in the day and empathize it's a frustrating but necessary job when some customers can be complete A-holes in times like this.

[Walleye]

2. Good point

[littlemissmartypants]

3. We have multitudes of unsung heroes living among us.

And being nice is contagious. Thank goodness.

[Delmette2.0]

5. Kudos to all the front line workers.

We will survive this pandemic because of you.

P.S. don't forget the social workers with child welfare services and foster parents.

[dware]

6. Long haul truck driver here,

lately all I've been hauling are Walmart trailers in the SW part of the country.

Walmart can't keep their stores stocked, I dropped a load a the Walmart in Pahrump, NV. yesterday and was immediately routed to the Walmart warehouse in SoCal to pick up another trailer for delivery to the same Walmart in Pahrump again.

That's telling me that Walmarts can't keep their stores stocked because of the panic buying.

[brewens]

7. Hopefully the hoarders will be all hoard out soon. n/t

[dware]

8. At least it's keeping me super busy and the mileage rate is really great,

but I can't wait for this to be over, for the health of the nation and it's wearing my health, it's really wearing me down, but I have to keep going to keep the stores stocked so people don't run out of food or goods.

Keep on Truckin.

[PaulRevere08]

15. These are the same folks who were mocking others who were taking CV-19 seriously

and now they are taking food out of the mouths of others. Hoarders are true scum.

[IronLionZion]

24. A lot of their hoarded perishable food will go bad before they use it

Unless they're sharing it with someone it's so dumb.

[drray23]

17. Thanks for doing this.

Its probably hard on you with all the extra hours and time away from the family.

On the other hand, its likely the ultimate social distancing job
and likely safe from being layed off since you guys are critically needed.

[mwooldri]

18. Thank you.

Kinda makes me wish I could haul a few dry vans around but there's enough glass to keep me going for now

[KY_EnviroGuy]

9. So many have to face unknown dangers every day until this thing is done.

Obviously, our medical teams in hospitals and clinics and doctor's offices are at the front of the firing line every single day.

But also many others that probably don't have access or knowledge for proper protection:

* our EMS and stat-flight personnel who must move very quickly, perhaps forgetting caution. Same with cops and firefighters.
* our mail carriers picking up items from millions of homes not knowing if they're contaminated,
* those who serve us at quick-stops and carry-outs and other retailers we dare visit, and
* those who serve and care for the homeless and destitute in shelters across the nation.

The list is endless and I hope we all just take a second to say "thank you for your service"......

[brewens]

10. Be prepared to be patient with inneficient service too. A lot of operations will have rookies

on the job. That's one good thing that critical operations will have lots of prospects to hire with everything else shut down, but it's always a little clunky with new hires working.

[usedtobedemgurl]

11. A Grocery Store Near My Friend Is Closing Indefinitely. n/t

[gollygee]

12. If this lasts too long, I wonder if we'll end up with rationing. nt

[bucolic_frolic]

25. Probably

All systems will be disrupted. Systems have a rhythm, a throughput. Inputs, processing, distribution, shipping, retail, and consumption. Layoffs. Restarting will be cumbersome but not insurmountable. Some workers will never return to work. They have side gigs, they look for other opportunities, they start their own business.

There will be maintenance on systems too. Processors, pipes, assembly lines, fluids. Everything is being altered. Prices will rise as each component of the system tries to maintain profits.

I doubt we could implement rationing as a government. More likely laws, rules, regulations will be imposed. Limit two, or even one. Limit hours. Maybe we'll learn to be civil!

[DinahMoeHum]

14. Plus, much of the food that would have normally gone to. . .

. . .restaurants and bars has to go someplace. And that best place would be the grocery stores.

[octoberlib]

16. Italy hasn't closed any grocery stores despite being on a lockdown.

A friend said the hoarding eased after a couple weeks, though they're still short on hand sanitizer otherwise stores fully stocked.


The only shortages will probably be in medical equipment.

[bucolic_frolic]

19. I went to 3 supermarkets today at 6-8 am

I think they are preparing for a very slow period. There's not a lot in the stores. Cereals maybe 75% stocked, deli 25-30%. Hardly saw an egg or whole wheat flour. No whole wheat bread in my Walmart. In store bakeries are not baking. No fresh donuts.

So perhaps due to hoarding and supply chain, they expect slower business. Everyone who can afford it is stocked with 6-8 weeks of food. Other consumer spending will plummet. Probably more than 80%.

Rumors online of nationwide sheltering in place by Monday, and financial market suspension. Video last night from ChartGuys said banks have little cash in Arizona I think it was. 2 week wait. Perhaps cash is being cleaned, or it is also a sanitation measure.

So yeah, after this whirlwind I'd expect reduced hours everywhere, and lots of layoffs, and many temporary closures.

[brewens]

20. I like the idea of giving seniors exclusive hours but it shouldn't be every day. I suppose if the

store is now opening early for that is okay, but my store went from 24/7 to shutting down midnight to five, then midnight to seven. Part of my strategy to avoid crowds was shopping as early as possible. They can give seniors the first two hour as far as I'm concerned, but I'd like two days a week to be normal hours. Any two days like Wed. and Sat. would work.

Make sure and give them Sunday probably, especially since churches will be shut down. Probably the best day for any friends or family to help as well. It might be an added bonus that a helper gets in to do their shopping along with the older person. More incentive to offer to go with them.

[lagomorph777]

21. +1. The virus might kill millions, but starvation would kill hundreds of millions.

Hats off to the brave workers in essential retail, delivery, medical care, and first responders.

[AtheistCrusader]

26. Closing truck stops was a bad idea.

Maybe closing them to cars, ok. But Semis need a place to go.

[ananda]

27. I had to go to WF this morning.

I found everything I needed.

They said they now open at 7am for seniors.

I prefer to shop from them online, but yesterday
the site was glitchy and showing out of stuff
they actually had in the store this morning.

[sagetea]

28. My husband

is a truck driver, he hauls oxygen to hospitals. I am sending him a care package because he can't find any hand sanitizer or toilet paper. Luckily, I went to Costco back in January and bought my (yearly) supply of cleaning wipes, TP, and hand sanitizer!! lol!! That was pure luck!!!

sage

[crickets]

29. Thank you to everyone involved in the supply line, from source to stores.

We all appreciate your hard work!

Things will calm down soon and it will get better.