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To the editor:

The year 2020 has been one riddled with panic and distress from the recent outbreak of the coronavirus.

Tensions in our state of Virginia are ever-growing. Another thing that I have also noticed growing is the feeling of “everyone for themselves.” In previous circumstances of national panic and danger, many people have prided themselves on banding together to selflessly help those around them who were also suffering. Sadly, as evidenced by the amount of panic buying that we are seeing across the nation, this sense of selfless giving is dwindling.

Stores are being wiped clean of essentials such as food, cleaning products and other things that people use regularly. I saw this firsthand when I assisted my grandmother in shopping for the things she needed before going into self-isolation. We found that the cleaning supplies we were planning on purchasing were completely out of stock, forcing us to leave the store without any.

The reason I wish to bring this to attention is to encourage people to think about others before they buy more than need. Cleaning products and other essentials are among the things that can help prevent someone from catching this coronavirus. Buying more of these resources than needed takes them away from people who need them, such as those with previous medical problems, the elderly, and those in the medical field who are working tirelessly to combat this virus.

I would implore others to not let fear get the best of them. Yes, these are scary times, but they will pass and the fear that we are feeling now will eventually dissolve. Let us renew our sense of selflessness and pursue ways of helping others through these troubling times. If we stand together, we will not be defeated.

Hannah Baines

Suffolk