Just a few hours ago, PM Modi announced that the entire nation will be going into lockdown for the next 21 days in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Now, this might seem like a reason to panic. But please, for the sake of all that is good in this world, do not panic. Don’t crowd shops and buy a lot of stuff that you might not need. Someone else who might need them, won’t be able to access them otherwise.
But most importantly, the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued guidelines stating that all essential services would be open.
LPG, CNG, PNG and other petroleum products will be available. As will electricity, water and sanitation.
Medicine shops, along with will not be closed either.
More importantly, shops dealing with food, groceries, fruits and vegetables, dairy and milk products, meat ad fish, animal fodder will also be open during the lockdown. Delivery services involving food and pharmaceuticals will also be functional during this time.
Which means, everything you need to survive for the next 3 weeks/21 days will be available to you.
So, do not panic. Do not go out rushing into a crowd of people to buy things in a hurry. Your life is more important. There is no point in buying these supplies, if you get infected in the process.
Besides, hoarding and panic-induced buying will only result in the increase of these prices, which will, in turn, cost you more than it should.
It will be far worse for the less privileged who, as a result of panic buying will not be able to afford essentials that they need to survive.
So, you have time. Do not, and I can’t stress this enough, panic. Nobody will benefit from it. But it could result in far worse consequences than both you and I can fathom.