After the Government announced that Regional New South Wales would be going into a 7 day lockdown, panic buying across the state started again.
At Mawhoods IGA in Cootamundra, stock flew off the shelves with Store Manager Rachel Janssen saying many products were out of stock.
“We ran out of bread, we almost ran out of milk and meat. It was mainly the grocery items that we got hit with.”
Toilet paper was still on the shelves which is different to other lockdown announcements.
“Having toilet paper on the shelves was actually surprising.”
Rachel said that the staff handled the situation well with a few staff members as well as herself coming in and help-ing with the crowd.
“We had all registers running to try and get through the massive line ups as soon as we could. We were serving people constantly for two hours.”
“As soon as that announcement came that was when the crowds came in.”
Stock has since quickly returned to the shelves that saw customer focus on Saturday with Rachel saying they have received a load on Tuesday and will received another today and Friday.
“We haven’t had a problem with re-stocking the shelves. Customers should be able to get everything they need.”
Click and collect is still available for anyone who would like to use the service, visit www.igacootamundra.com.au.
Rachel believes that people don’t realise that supermarkets are an essential service and will be open all through the lockdown.
“We are essential workers, we are open as normal, there is no need to panic buy.”
Mawhoods IGA is opened 7am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 8pm Sunday.
When shopping keep in mind the rules that have been stated below by the State Government:
- Stay within your local government area. You can cross into another local government area if it is within 5km of your home and is not a local government area of concern (unless the food or goods or services or their equivalent are not reasonably available locally).
- If travelling by private vehicle (car), do not share a car with other people you do not live with.
- Only 1 person per household may leave their home to shop for food or other goods and services (you may take a dependant person with you if that person cannot be left at home on their own).
- You may take a dependant person with you if that person cannot be left at home on their own.
- Go directly to and from the shops to get what you need. Do not spend time looking at other things.
COVID-19 cases in New South Wales have been very high recently but thankfully we have not had any cases in the Murrumbidgee Local Health District thus far.
These high numbers as well as the exposure and contraction of the virus in some regional Local Government Areas (LGAs) have forced restrictions around state to tighten.
These tightened restrictions include a Stay at Home Order, meaning the only reason you can leave home is to:
- obtain food or other good and services locally
- leave home to go to work if you can-not reasonably work from home and the business is allowed to be open
- leave home for education if its not possible to do it at home
- exercise and take outdoor recreation within your local government area or, if you need to cross into another LGA, stay within 5km of your home
- go out for medical or caring reasons, including obtaining a COVID-19 vaccination.
Tahlia Crane