FORO (Fear of Running Out)

The chicken was sold out at FC Costco.

Bay Area residents often look askance at the hoarding behavior of other Americans hunkering down for (or fleeing) hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes, but when put to the test by coronavirus, we're no better:

Bare shelves and frayed nerves were on full display over the weekend at Bay Area grocery stores as the coronavirus continued to spread.

Shoppers described chaotic scenes, many of which were shared on social media: stacks of rice and toilet paper snatched up within seconds, checkout lines that snaked through entire stores, and jam-packed parking lots reminiscent of Christmas Eve.

I have been restocking more frequently, but not to the extent of amassing above-normal levels of supplies. (Think of it as refilling the gas tank when it is half full and not waiting until the one-quarter mark.) A 50-lb. bag of rice, plus 20 cans of spam, will ensure survival through summer.

Note: preparing for the coronavirus is easier than it is for natural disasters, when one cannot assume water, power, and communications, including WiFi, will be operational.