Hoarding Toilet Paper Won't Prevent Coronavirus

Our dear Mona Lisa apparently gets it. She picked up only as much toilet paper as she needs for a week. She has no kids and lives alone. her cat uses a kitty litter box. She's good to go.

Think, "Need" vs "Want" vs "Hoarding". Hoarding supplies during this time will hurt us all.

We've all seen the videos in Italy and in the U.S.... people fighting over rolls of toilet paper as they do a mad rush to get supplies during this coronavirus crisis. In Italy, the rest of Europe and here in the States, people are not being prevented from visiting their supermarkets and alimentari for food and other essentials. Here in Pennsylvania, Lisa's company has ordered all workers to work from home, Lucas is home because all the schools are closed, all "non essential" businesses are closing, BUT, all supermarkets and grocery stores are open and are being restocked after the first mad rush of last weekend.
Most of our supermarkets now offer home delivery via online app, which helps reduce close contact.

When I shopped last week, I wore latex gloves on both hands, wiped down the shopping cart's handle, and was careful not to stand too close to others. I also shopped at 7am when not many were in the supermarket. And although I didn't need toilet paper (we had stocked up two weeks earlier at a big box store with our normal 2 month supply), I was shocked to see the paper goods aisle empty.

Calm down, tutti! Yes, this crisis is real--a fact of science and nature. But as long as we keep our heads and think not only of ourselves, but also our neighbors, we will all get through this.

As the Italians say, andrà tutto bene --  everything will be fine. it may take some time, and there will be sacrifices, but we will come out of this in the end.

--Jerry Finzi, GVI

Some tips:

• If you do need to go shopping, wear latex gloves--on both hands (if you have a decent supply) or at least on the hand you'll be using to offer your credit card or sign your name. (Auto supply shops have latex gloves in boxes of 100 if you can't locate any).
• Bring your own pen. Don't use pens that others have used.
• Use supermarket delivery services when available, but be considerate and ask the delivery person to leave the packages outside your door (lessening their contact with customers).
• Please keep your distances from nonna and nonno. The elderly are the most susceptible to this virus. Use Skype or Facetime for virtual visits.
• If you have any symptoms (fever, dry cough, or especially, difficulty breathing) do not go to an emergency room, but instead call your healthcare provider and be persistent about where you can get tested. At this writing, drive-through testings are in the early stages of being set up in most U.S. states.
• Some supermarkets are dedicating the first hour or two in the morning to senior citizens. Be respectful of this. If you are older, go shopping during these early morning periods. If you are younger than 50, shop later on in the day to avoid contact with seniors.
• Be creative when in lock-down with your time... learn to make bread or pasta; do puzzles (we still have a complex one we haven't finished) and other games; pick up your guitar again and make some music; do home repairs that you've been putting off; Learn Italian through a service like Duolingo; stream Italian films on Netflix or Amazon Prime (we're planning on re-watching I Claudius); and by all means, do some armchair Voyaging through Italy on Google Earth or Youtube via Prowalks.