STRESS GROCERY SHOPPING IN TAI PO MARKET

Reported by Clara Ip

Edited by Suey So

The rampant coronavirus epidemic originated in Wuhan has startled the world with more than 74,279 cases across China in about 4 weeks (by the end of February 19). It has shattered the city. In fear of getting infected, people have been avoiding leaving their homes, even many companies have started the “work from home” arrangement. Unlike other districts in Hong Kong, the streets in Tai Po are filled with people, rushing from place to place to buy as many necessities as they could. With rumors of the coronavirus that would last for months spreading around the city, people are hoarding necessities in preparation for sudden self-quantization.

Ever since the coronavirus situation in Hong Kong worsened, the streets in Tai Po market are more crowded than usual. Since many Hong Kong people are still traumatized by the community virus outbreak in Amoy Gardens during SARS, people are started to stress-shopping, not only for groceries but also for essential supplies, for example rice, bleaches, for back-up.

People are running on the clock as more and more places are running out of stock.

Hundreds of people are lining up outside of a drugstore for masks, even though staff have announced that all tickets have already given out.

Tons of people are eyeing on the mountain of toilet paper rolls that are ready to roll in the dispensary as most dispensaries have already run out of stock.

A swarm of people immediately come to the store once the owner have put out basic essentials and protective gears for sale.

Widespread anxiety that epidemic could last months, basic necessities like rice are running out. The shelves that were originally dedicated to rice are now filled with packs of instant noodles. Even though there are packets of instant noodles in stock, customers still prefer rice as their first priority.

Desperate of getting enough supplies, whenever the haulers deliver packets of rice to the supermarkets, groups of people are lining up outside of the supermarket to “monitor” the delivering process. “Nothing wrong for getting some back-up, right?” said Suliah, a domestic helper who has worked in Hong Kong for more than 10 years, “we have enough rice supplies at home, but my boss told me to get some more, just in case.”

To ensure all customers, if not most, could purchase, supermarkets have also started implementing a new policy on February 6 to limit customers to two items of the products due to short supply.

As most of the essentials in the supermarket were sold out, Mr Chan yi-shen said the new policy that limits each customer to two items does not really affect much on him as he still cannot get any essentials even the policy has already imposed.

Considering that Hong Kong people are now fighting over to buy all kinds of essentials, convenience stores, like the CircleK, have recently launched a new item on shelf, rice.

Since many branches of supermarkets have been running out of supplies, the stalls in the Tai Po wet market have also start selling toilet paper and bleaches on their own.

Frustrated that he has been longing around for essentials Mr Zhang Man-yong picked up the sanitiser from the vegetable stall.“I know these sanitizers here are not really that reliable, but what other choice do I have?”, said Mr Zhang Man-yong helplessly, “everyone in the city went nuts, these kinds of essentials can no longer be found anywhere!”