People urged to remain calm as panic buying hits Longford supermarkets

Minister for Business Heather Humphreys along with Minister for Health Simon Harris has called on people not to panic-buy or stockpile due to the coronavirus situation.

It comes as supermarkets around the country, including here in Longford, are thronged with shoppers. One checkout worker in a supermarket in Longford town remarked, "we're busier than Christmas; it's crazy," as queues of people with trolleys piled up on Thursday afternoon."

Similar reports are coming in from around the county but people are being told the supply chain for supermarkets is being maintained and that shops will remain open.

Speaking this afternoon, Minister Humphreys said: "If people go out and buy products that they don’t need to stockpile… they’re going to cause a problem.

“So I would say, there is no need to do that,” she added.

Minster Harris agreed, saying: “We should all continue to buy what we need to provide for ourselves and families and loved ones [but] we shouldn’t stockpile.”

The warning follows the announcement that all schools, college and childcare facilities will close from tomorrow to contain the spread of the coronavirus. 

Read the full list of measures announced by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar HERE