The new coronavirus may be spreading around the world but there害羞草研究所檚 no need for British Columbians to clear out grocery stores, a clinical psychologist from the University of B.C. said.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a little bit like a stampede at a sporting event,害羞草研究所� Steven Taylor said.
害羞草研究所淥nce one person starts stampeding for the exit, everyone does.害羞草研究所�
In this case, the stampede has been to the grocery store and images all over social media show busy shops, empty shelves and full shopping carts.
Taylor said that害羞草研究所檚 likely because of well-meaning advice from Canadian health officials to stock up on a two-week supply of food, household essentials and medication.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 good advice but many people don害羞草研究所檛 have those kinds of supplies,害羞草研究所� Taylor told Black Press Media by phone.
That has led to a rush that has cleared out groceries stores, particularly warehouses like Costco.
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Taylor said that in B.C., which has seen nine cases of COVID-19 so far, buying a whole shelf of toilet paper is probably not necessary when buying a backup of your essentials is probably enough.
害羞草研究所淔ear is contagious. Imagine you害羞草研究所檙e on the Titanic and you see everyone rushing for the [life] boats. You害羞草研究所檙e not going to stop and twiddle your thumbs 害羞草研究所� you害羞草研究所檙e going to follow the crowd,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淯rgency, scarcity and anxiety are the big three players in the initial panicked buying, and from there I think it snowballed.害羞草研究所�
Images of empty shelves and crowded stores have scared people who may not have initially been concerned, Taylor said, but it害羞草研究所檚 important to remember that images that go viral are not an accurate view of the situation.
害羞草研究所淚f an image is dramatic, it害羞草研究所檚 not going to be representative of the way things are,害羞草研究所� Taylor said. 害羞草研究所淧eople need to remind themselves害羞草研究所� that an image of a fully stocked supermarket shelf and calm shoppers, that害羞草研究所檚 not going to go viral.害羞草研究所�
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