Two days after California declared a state of emergency, AFP visited stores that were unable to keep pace with the growing demand for staples.
“It’s pandemonium … Our numbers are double the usual number,” said René, an employee at the Costco supermarket in Burbank.
“Today it got out of control. So, we ran out of toilet paper, almost without water, without hand sanitizer,” he reported.
So far, one person has died in California, which had registered 69 cases of the new coronavirus as of Friday, making it the second state with the highest number of cases, after Washington.
Despite employee restraining pleas, Californians have begun to replicate the shopping panic seen across Asia and elsewhere.
“It was crazy,” Costco chief financial officer Richard Galanti told analysts on a call on Thursday.
On the same day, police in San Bernardino County, near Los Angeles, were called to one of the gigantic warehouses after customers were incensed by the lack of supplies.
Just expensive water
On Friday, Costco further restricted the purchase of water to two boxes per customer, even less than the four from the previous day.
Several buyers tried to ignore the rule and had the bottles confiscated in the box – which led to complaints and clashes, an assistant said.
“With all this madness, the fear begins to be palpable,” said Lisa García, a 30-year-old store worker. “We were thinking about stocking up on products like paper, but these shelves are empty,” he told AFP.
At a nearby branch, shoppers broke into the store as soon as the doors were opened.
By midday, only the expensive Perrier water bottles were left. Some consumers, although concerned, took them home, trying to see the positive side of the situation.
“I’m cautious,” said rescuer Andrew, who refused to give his name, while pushing a cart full of water, paper towels, lemon and ginger. “I want to have the essentials, mixes for drinks, wines. If things get worse, I have to drink,” he added.
“I’m here in case the apocalypse comes,” joked Carlos Gonzalez, a 35-year-old student. “I think they found an efficient way to sell a lot of things.”
–
