‘What are you going to do, get in a bunker?’

Daily life has taken a detour as the world reacts to the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Mystery still shrouds this disease that the World Health Organization declared a “pandemic,” which it defines as a new infectious disease for which people lack immunity and that has spread around the world beyond expectations.

Attempts to contain its spread are far reaching, adding to the uncertainty. This has many hoarding everyday items.

Wait

A couple was taking a wait-and-see approach to a bus trip scheduled for later. They were also concerned about potential carriers of the diseases who may have been overseas and how long they had been in the area.

He noted the lack of essentials such as toilet paper at one store, but found it in another. He is old enough to recall when “the Sears catalog” was the only paper around.

“We’re a lot better off than those living in the city. We can cope a lot better,” he said.

One man said he didn’t find out about the closings until late. “I stay away from bad news,” he said. He was stocking up about the same as he would for a snowstorm. “What are you going to do, get in a bunker?”