Australians are panic-buying items such as toilet paper, pasta and medication due to coronavirus.
Images have shown empty shelves and trolleys filled to the brim at major supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths as people rush to fill their pantries.
One mother, Leanne McLennan, shared images to Facebook of her stockpile that she has been building for five years.
One mother, Leanne McLennan, shared images to Facebook of her stockpile that she has been building for five years
She has plenty of Pepsi, bottled water, juices, cans of soft drink and toilet paper as well as breakfast spread, hot chocolate, soy sauce and coconut milk
Some social media users were impressed by Ms McLennan’s set up. Some social media users were impressed by Ms McLennan’s set up
There is every variety of bean imaginable, peas, pasta sauces, pickles, Doritos, as well as hundreds of cleaning products.
She has plenty of Pepsi, bottled water, juices, cans of soft drink and toilet paper as well as breakfast spread, hot chocolate, soy sauce and coconut milk.
Every item has a place on the Bunnings $35 storage devices she has set up to contain the produce so she can very easily reach for whatever she needs.
Some social media users were impressed by Ms McLennan’s set up.
One said it looked as though she was preparing for the apocalypse, while others said they wish they had the space to do the same.
Ms McLennan said she has been building it in order to save money however a bonus was ‘being ready for anything that may happen’.
Professor Ian Mackay, an infectious disease specialist from the University of Queensland, said people should have up to two weeks worth of food during the coronavirus outbreak.
He said it is important to shop smartly however.
Australians are panic-buying items such as toilet paper, pasta and medication due to coronavirus
There is every variety of bean imaginable, peas, pasta sauces, pickles, Dorito chips, as well as hundreds of cleaning products for use in the shower and around the house
‘We can get in a bit of stock, foods, dried foods, dried fruits, some medicines – if you have any prescriptions it’s good to get those filled now,’ he told the ABC.
‘Just ahead of time, in case there are any disruptions to shelf stock or shelf supply – things like truck drivers getting sick.
‘We can be a little bit ahead of that curve and we’ve still got plenty of time because the virus isn’t spreading widely here yet.’
Ms McLennan shared her top tips in order to successfully stockpile – including always shop specials first and never collect perishables such as cereal and bread.
‘Buy generic brands when available as they are sometimes cheaper than waiting for half price specials,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
Some pharmacies have sold out of popular hygiene products used
Supermarket shelves have been left bare following information people should have a two-week supply of food.
Ms McLennan shared her tops tips in order to successfully stockpile a supply of food
‘Rotate your stock. Bring the older items forward and put newer items to the back. Write use by dates on the front of perishable items and sort with first to be used at the front.’
She said she started with toiletries and filled her bathroom cupboard up before she expanded into her current space.
Another woman has shown the lengths she has gone to in order to be prepared for the potential pandemic.
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, is a self-professed zombie apocalypse movie enthusiast from Scenic Rim in south-east Queensland, and has enough food and medicine to last a year.
People are questioning whether they need to start stocking up on items such as toilet paper amid coronavirus outbreak
Despite having five pantries brimming with 50kg each of rice and lentils, boxes of cereal and bottles of hand sanitiser, the mum-of-four said she doesn’t think the coronavirus will get ‘really bad’, but believes ‘you can never be too safe’.
‘We’ve gone a little above and beyond,’ she told news.com.au, detailing her new collection of water filters, camping gear, vegetable seeds, dog food, weapons and surplus of paracetamol, antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications.
The 32-year-old said she initially started hoarding medicine for her son who takes medication for ADHD that is manufactured in China.
She fears that if the Chinese borders aren’t re-opened soon, her son will be without medicine.
‘If it ever did go bad, medicine would be something to trade for, for maybe food or something else. Asthma puffers, we’ve stocked up on them, because let’s face it, half of Australia has asthma.
An anonymous woman’s family have five pantries brimming with 50kg each of rice and lentils, boxes of cereal and bottles of hand sanitizer
The family have started a fish breeding program in three large tanks in their living room
‘We’ve got about 15 pouches of tobacco so far. It’s not a lot but it can still be traded for food if need be. Smokers, no matter how crazy it is, will still want to smoke.’
She has also melted silver and gold jewellery down in case a bartering system becomes the new normal and the family need something valuable to trade.
The family has also started to research survival skills and natural healing methods, and her husband is learning to blacksmith in case forging metal becomes a coveted skill in a post-apocalyptic world.
Along with a fish breeding program in three large tanks in their living room, the family have a full survival plan in case the coronavirus gets out of control in Australia.