COVID-19 Scare: Woman's TikTok Video On Diaper Shortage Goes Viral

The coronavirus pandemic has caused panic and fear among people all over the world. More and more people are panic-buying and stocking essentials supplies to survive during social-distancing. As a result, goods are going out-of-stock or being sold at a much higher price. Amidst this panic, a TikTok video of a woman in Southern Utah has surfaced the social media in which she can be seen crying over the rise in the price of the diapers and the pattern of bulk buying as she can no longer afford them for her children.

Panic-buying drains supermarkets

36-year-old Lauren Whitney who is a mother of four children released a TikTok video, expressing her disappointment with the rise in the cost of diapers by 20 times. She said, “...How am I supposed to diaper my child if I can't afford 20 at a time like you can?" Whitney's video has gone viral and the comments of the netizens on her video have affirmed that she has raised an important question about panic-buying. People who are in need of essentials are not able to buy them because panic-buying has drained the stocks and the retailers have raised the prices.

Eventually, Whitney bought one of the two remaining boxes of diapers, leaving the other for the next customer

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Though, according to NDTV, Whitney did not record the video with the intention to upload it on social media. It was in her draft, which she accidentally uploaded. Within an hour of uploading it, the video went viral. Reportedly, she even debated to take down the video but later realized that people should watch it.

In a separate video, Lauren thanked the people who have responded with empathy and said, "I just wanted to post that video to bring awareness to the fact that going out and panic buying is causing problems to people who can't afford to do that."

Another coronavirus crisis

Eventually, Whitney bought one of the two remaining boxes of diapers, leaving the other for the next customer, as reported by Buzzfeed. But it is not only Whitney who is bearing the brunt of panic-buying. Recently, another video of the horror of panic-buying in Italy went viral where three women were seen fighting over toilet paper in a supermarket.

In India as well, where more than 150 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported, the shops are getting wiped clean of groceries because people are buying goin bulk.

Also Read: Avoiding Online Shopping Portals From China Thanks To COVID-19? 

The supermarkets of many cities across the world have a huge queue of people waiting to stock up essentials. An impulsive stocking of toilet papers, sanitizers, face-mask, food items, and groceries has been on the rise across the globe as the number of cases continues to go up. As a result, retailers are facing a shortage of goods. Australia’s biggest supermarket, Woolworth has already announced a limit on the purchase of toilet papers restricting it to four per person. In India as well, where more than 200 positive cases of coronavirus have been reported, the shops are getting wiped clean because people are panic-buying goods in bulk. Following the directive to practice social-distancing, the online portals that sell groceries have seen a surge in the sales swiftly going out of stock. The coronavirus that has infected more than 2,44,ooo people and claimed the lives of over 10,000 people globally is alarming about an impending crisis due to panic-buying.

Picture Credit: @browncoatbetty

Rudrani Kumari is an intern with SheThePeople.TV.