Coronavirus cartoon: Despite panic, there’s plenty of toilet paper
No, we're not going to run out of toilet paper. But if it helps you feel better, buy a package or two.
What’s the deal with toilet paper?
As the coronavirus continues its fear-inducing spread, retailers across the region have begun to place limits on the bathroom staple to prevent panicked shoppers from clearing their shelves.
Retailers and manufacturers say there is no threat of a toilet paper shortage. The paper has no impact on the coronavirus, and health officials have generally recommended against stockpiling items. So why is toilet paper the go-to purchase for panic-induced buyers?
Social media and viral videos of people fighting over packages might have something to do with it.
“People, being social creatures, we look to each other for cues for what is safe and what is dangerous,” Steven Taylor, a British psychologist and author, told CNN. “And when you see someone in the store, panic buying, that can cause a fear contagion effect.”
So calm down, stop hoarding, and stick to buying the products you normally purchase. And don’t forget to wipe.
Other recent coronavirus cartoons:
Does anyone even remember the Astros’ cheating scandal? Everything in sports is playing second fiddle to the coronavirus.
My colleague Signe Wilkinson drew a great cartoon about the obsession over the stock market as real people suffer.
Coronavirus is a genuine epidemic, but the flu still gets no respect.
For more editorial cartoons, visit inquirer.com/opinion/cartoons/.