I am deeply saddened to see the most basic of simple preparedness being mocked so emotionally.

> This is crazy FUD

There's no fear, uncertainty, or doubt in my message, nor am I being crazy, simply calm and rational: it's simple, normal preparedness for the recommended protocol of avoiding unnecessary close physical contact with others. Having 6-8 weeks of food in one's house isn't stockpiling, nor is it panic. It is everyday preparedness, and is good advice in all times, even outside of pandemics.

The LDS church, for example, recommends and encourages all mormons to have a year of food for their family in their home, and has done so for decades. I am not LDS, but this is not bad advice in general.

> Going to the grocery store once vs four times is not going to make the difference between you getting the virus or not

If you and your family are in full isolation at home during the worst of this, not going out in public at all during the peak of the pandemic (zero contact with anyone infected or potentially infected) versus going out four times into public places (grocery stores) absolutely makes a difference, both in your own potential exposure, as well as in the ability to spread it to others should you be exposed.

Right now most cities in the US only have a few hundred cases walking around (calculated from comparing the curve to other countries who actually are testing). That's not going to be the case in 30 days: the risk and spread is going up in a predictable, exponential fashion, just as we have seen in several other places already.

> engaging in prepper fetishes

Your alarming personal attacks do not contribute to the discussion. I'm not suggesting you build a bunker, hoard masks or TP, or anything else like that: simply have enough food to be able to stay home uninterrupted for a month or two. Mocking doomsday preppers when they're preparing for unknown, low-risk imagined threats is one thing. Preparing to simply have enough to eat while you and your family stay home during a global pandemic and presently-declared national emergency is about as non-prepper as it gets: preppers would claim it's way past the time you should have started.

Millions of Americans buy in bulk at stores like Sam's Club and Costco, this is no different. If the supply lines are as stable as you claim and will remain so as you claim, then they won't be harmed in any way by a few people buying a little bit extra.

> Everyone will eventually get the virus. It's almost certain.

This is also not true. Many people will avoid getting sick by avoiding public places and physical contact, which also has the added public benefit of not spreading it further. Additionally there will likely be a vaccine before the year is out. Avoiding contact with the public absolutely can and will prevent many people from getting sick. Please do not engage in such fatalistic fear-spreading; it's just a false statement. (It's also a terrible thing to say to high-risk groups, most of whom can avoid contracting it with precautions such as I describe.)

> The goal here is just to prevent a thundering herd problem with medical resources.

The single best way to do that is to avoid contracting the virus at all. The single best way to do that is to avoid coming into contact with anyone who is infected or might be infected: get home and stay home.

https://staythefuckhome.com/

It is our responsibility to ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and our communities to avoid contracting this virus and to avoid spreading this virus.