I notice that people here as well as stocking up on toilet paper, tinned goods, hand sanitizers and so forth have started panic buying extra freezers as well !
Went to my local grocery to pick up a few things and get a much-needed haircut that's also in the strip mall. Couldn't find a parking space, and this is a large parking lot! It was also early afternoon. Should have been almost empty.
The shopping carts were all inside, quite a few abandoned. Probably the normal shoppers who only came in for a few things saw the crazy lines and decided never mind. I almost did the same, but there were a few things I really needed.
I think we are in front of this so fast, and don't have nearly the population density that China does, it seems it would level of fast. China's case numbers are already dropping,bug I guess we'll see. Once people hear of someone they know getting it and recovering, which almost everyone does, statistically,I think the panic will fade a bit. I've been wrong before, but the 80s were a long time ago.