South Holland and the Deepings MP appeals for calm and for the community to pull together
An appeal for calm and for the community to pull together in light of the coronavirus outbreak has been made by South Holland and the Deepings MP Sir John Hayes.
Sir John called for people in South Holland to return to a sense of normality in light of scenes of panic buying across the area.
Shelves in supermarkets across the district have been stripped of rice, pasta, some tinned goods and toilet rolls over the weekend while workers have reported long queues and rude customers.
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Sir John said: "This is not a time for selfishness, it is a time for the opposite. It is a time to pull together as a community and a nation.
"I understand that people are frightened but it is really important that we remain calm and sensible about what we do from now on.
"I would urge people not to panic buy and to take sensible precautions, such as hand washing. Over-reacting to a crisis will make it deeper and longer."
Sir John said the Government and the NHS are doing everything possible to support the country during this outbreak.
He said: "We should try to stay calm and carry on.
"I am trying to retain a normal life and if we all do that, we will get through this together."
Over the weekend, supermarket giants, including Tesco, Lidl, Aldi, Sainsbury's, Coop, Iceland and M&S, appealed for people to return to normal shopping habits.
In a letter, the firms state: "We are working closely with government and our suppliers to keep food moving quickly through the system and making more deliveries to our stores to ensure our shelves are stocked. Those of us with online delivery and click-and-collect services are running them at full capacity.
"But we need your help too. We would ask everyone to be considerate in the way they shop. We understand your concerns but buying more than is needed can sometimes mean that others will be left without. There is enough for everyone if we all work together."