THERE is only one reason why people should be bulk-buying now: if they were to get coronavirus and need to self-isolate for two weeks, they'd have nobody to go shopping for them and can't do online shopping.

There has been a rush on supermarkets to buy hand wash and sanitiser as well as toilet roll, and while it's easy to dismiss these people as panic-stricken fools, for some of them it's simply prudent.

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I say that because, if you find yourself as one of the unlucky cases and end up shut indoors for two weeks with no help, you'll need those essential supplies – however, if you have family or friends who can go to the shops for you and deliver those supplies to your door (while avoiding direct contact with you), or you can simply shop online and have the products delivered, you really don't need to be bulk-buying right now.

But all those people who would have family and friends able to help them really are being selfish by panic-buying now. Firstly, they're depriving their fellow citizens of essential supplies (how would they feel if they were the one unable to buy toilet roll, or nappies for their baby?), and secondly, they're causing an unnecessary frenzy by forcing other people to panic buy to avoid being left empty-handed.