A Look At COVID-19 Pandemic Shortages

Some day we'll look back at the COVID-19 Pandemic with the gauze-filter that time provides; in that moment the trials, tribulations, and events of the year-plus global event will be condensed down to a handful or two of items and words.  I think it will be a long time before we can forget terms like "social distancing", "contact tracing", "essential workers", "shelter in place", and "flattening the curve".

Easily, though any review of the COVID-19 global pandemic will have to include the shortages that we incurred while executing those "stay at home orders".  While we've all become accustomed to emergency, panic buying - especially in our part of the country (snowstorm or blizzard milk and bread run anyone?), it's safe to say that none of us were ready for what COVID-19 would bring our way in regards to hoarding and diminished supplies.

Some of the products and items that got hoarded were explainable (antiseptics and cleaning supplies).  But others left many of us questioning our friends, family, and co-workers; what were they doing with all of that [fill-in-the-blank].

It got so bad with some of these pandemically-hoarded items that stores had to inflict quantity limits on them.  While at the other end of the spectrum, many stores also instituted policies that restricted their returns.

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While it is no way a complete  list, what follows is a comprehensive review of what items were scarce at the store - and hoarded by our neighbors - during the COVID-19 Pandemic.