Shelves stripped bare as panic buying hits Adelaide

Shoppers have already begun panic buying less than 24 hours after South Australia was hit by a growing coronavirus cluster.

On Monday, the Covid-19 cluster grew to 17. Premier Steven Marshall also announced a number of restrictions to tackle the outbreak.

“We are facing the biggest test to date but we can and must rise to this new challenge,” he said.

Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier was asked if she was concerned about people panicking to which she replied: “I think it is too early to tell”.

However, it seems people have already resorted to panic buying.

Some Adelaide supermarkets were seen with emptying toilet paper shelves.

There were reports of panic buying at Golden Grove Woolworths, Coles Glenlg and Foodland in Happy Valley.

On Facebook, people expressed dismay that panic buying was “happening again”.

“Really? Haven’t people learnt yet?” one woman wrote.

One Twitter user wrote that the “idiot brigade” has struck again.

“You cannot be serious,” another woman wrote. “Makes no sense or logic whatsoever.”

The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association secretary Josh Peak told 7News it’s “a stressful time for everyone”.

“Stay calm, and treat frontline workers with respect,” he said. “We’re all in this together.”

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