For the media, a global pandemic is worth its weight in gold.
That constant coverage across television and the interwebs, for all the information it provides, does tend to stoke hysteria in the wrong hands. And in public health crises like these, pharmacists and other medical professionals catch the brunt.
Turn on the television at any point today and you'll witness the manic adrenaline of news outlets exploring the ins and outs of a novel, unsolved public health issue on the rise.
That media coverage does not occur in a vacuum. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Drug stores have been cleaned out of water, toilet paper, and surgical masks for weeks. Pharmacists are going postal answering the same questions every six minutes.
At times, it seems unfair that a panic-inducing pandemic virus comes during this particularly chaotic contemporary era. Or perhaps the logic ought to be flipped. Maybe these last few years of global tumult have primed everyone to over-respond to a crisis like this one.
Maybe everyone was simply too high-strung to deal with the coronavirus with any composure at all.
SasDestroyer394 asked, "Pharmacists of Reddit, what's the most stupid things you've seen people do because of Coronavirus?"
Little Extra Padding
"Buying newborn size disposable diapers to use as masks." NyxPetalSpike
"Makes sense, considering how many sh*t-faces I've been seeing wearing face masks." spaghatta111
The Great Bum Hip Epidemic
"A lady told me that she was told by her manager to self-quarantine for two weeks because her mother was in hospital.
"But, her mother was in hospital recovering from a planned, elective hip replacement.
"This lady was delighted to spend time with her mum in hospital (as it's a work-directive they pay her without needing to dip into leave or sick pay) but horrified at the unnecessary fear that people are spouting."
When They’re Out of Gloves...
"Using condoms to touch door handles and elevator buttons." K3V3L
"Sanitary gloves are sold out in many areas. Condoms are an...interesting alternative." a-breakfast-food
"Instructions unclear. Penis stuck behind door handle." Spidron
Desperate Times Call for LOTS OF DRUGS
"The main thing is people wanting multiple (illegal) repeats of their meds 'in case they need to stockpile them.' The number of people getting visibly upset that we won't do this for them is saddening."
For That Thick Cloud of Virus Off the Saw
"I wish people would stop buying all the f*cking dust masks. They will do NOTHING to stop any virus. They stop particles. You're wasting money and endangering my health."
“I Need That Double Vaccine Juice-Up, Baby”
"One of my friends works in a pharmacy and for a major national chain. This past week alone she said she has seen people...
"Ask when they can schedule another flu shot to 'dose up to prepare.'
"Complain to her about them not wearing masks at the pharmacy, to which she replies that masks are actually primarily for infected people, and they lose their sh*t in response."
TP in Crisis
"Here in Australia two people were fighting over toilet paper, so the police had to get involved and tasered them." thelostandthefound
"The whole toilet paper thing, I went grocery shopping the other day and I'm in a town that isn't threatened by Coronavirus, barely any toilet paper left on the shelves. I truly don't understand it because what the f*ck is toilet paper gonna do about the Coronavirus?" SpleensTheFeline
Wordplay
"Smash a corona bottle while shouting 'I DON'T WANT YOUR VIRUS.'" SpectremREDDIT
"I'd image Corona the beer is taking a huge hit in sales because of Corona the virus." Durian_Mace
"Their sales have actually increased by a lot! There's been a lot of theme parties where the theme is "corona" and obviously there's only corona beer there." Luukipuuk1912
What’s the Government For
"Pharmacist at a Canadian hospital here.
"We're being threatened with 'I'm not paying, my drug plan needs to pay! (Even though I'm 63 days early out of 90 days) I'm going to contact my Member of Parliament, you'll be hearing from them!'"
Casting a Wide, Racist Net
"I feel like the most irritating interactions that I've had with patients is when they just start being racist against Asians and say that we shouldn't serve them to stop the spread of the disease. I'm not even Asian, I'm white and this irritates the crap out of me. I don't have any patience for the patients.
"In general, the Corona virus is being blown completely out of proportion by the media. Hell, the general flu has more spread and more deadly."
Little Crisis Concoction
"What's weird is we are out of isopropyl alcohol and aloe gel, because people are trying to DIY their own hand sanitizer. I had a woman come ask me if she could substitute witch hazel for alcohol since we were out. Gonna say that's probably a no."
Family Sized
"I work in pharmacy and we've had people INSIST and argue with us about purchasing the giant communal hand sanitizer we have behind the dispensary for the staff...I wonder how people can be that stupid."
Repurposed Materials
"I'm not pharmacist, but I work on a dairy farm (hang on, hang on, it's related)."
"We vaccinate our calves against bovine coronavirus (BCoV) at birth with a vaccine containing the killed virus (marketed as Calf-Guard or Scour-Guard 4KC)."
"As I was vaccinating our newest little bull calf, I had the thought, 'I wonder if someone, somewhere, had the novel idea to dose themselves with veterinary vaccines yet to try and prevent the coronavirus. People can't be THAT stupid, right?'"
"It turns out they have, and they are."
Not Seeing the Connection Here
"I work in a goddamn hardware store and I had a couple come in asking for mothballs (campher). So that they could put thread through them and turn them into a necklace and wear them around their neck."
Who Needs Lungs When You Got a Butthole
"I was in Walgreens two days ago and the toilet paper and water were nearly gone, but there was an endless supply of Robitussin and other cough suppressants. I don't think people's priorities are in the right place."
A BAD Habit Right Now
"My pharmacist licked her finger before picking up my script yesterday. That seemed pretty silly." -- Brummiediv
"I had a substitute teacher like 3 days ago do that and it drove me insane. STOP DOING THAT KAREN!" -- knnyh
That is Nothing But Poisonous
"Patient asked if he can gargle with bleach because he heard it from the internet that it would help fighting the corona virus. What in the world?"
Layers of Defense
"I'm not a pharmacist but a friend of mine had an onion in his bedroom because his parents saw on the internet that it kills the virus... I mean, if it's on the internet it's true right?"
-- S1gnum
Ya Gotta Do What Ya Gotta Do
"I did see my friend cover himself in cut out pieces of card, latex, rubber and taped it to his body and cut out two eye wholes into a bucket and began wear it while putting a mask over that bucket for 'extra protection' and saying 'These are extreme hygiene methods.' It all fell apart as he walked out his room."
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