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Comment by post_break | Hacker News Reader

I bought some early last week. I got supplies two weeks ago when friends and family were laughing at me saying I was being paranoid. Now they are asking me where to get some hand sanitizer or bleach since it's sold out everywhere.

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Yup, gotta clean all those bacteria off your hands to avoid a virus, right? Just use hand soap. It's more effective. (yes I know alcohol still kills the virus, but buying hand sani isn't necessary when we already have a more effective tool at pretty much every sink)

I have to ask, why do you assume that people are using hand sanitizer instead of washing their hands? In the case of a pandemic, I would like to disinfect my hands mostly in places where there is no access to running water. Like, in my car after being in a public place, or at my desk.

This feels like the coronavirus-related version of that infamous Stack Exchange response where you say "I must do (thing) because of these requirements, what's the best way to do it" and people respond with "Don't do (thing), do (other thing which is arguably better but does not satisfy the requirements)"

Sorry, just being an asshole. Using sanitizer in those situations makes perfect sense.

I wash my hands, but I can't when I'm getting gas, driving around, sitting at my desk and someone brings mail, people touch my door handles, etc etc. The idea that sanitizer replaces soap is dumb, but the idea that washing hands makes sanitizer is dumb too.

Point taken, I was wrong.

Thanks to Shipt grocery delivery, we generally only keep 2-3 days worth of food in the house for a family of 5. With the threat of this outbreak, it hit me that my household has bought into the global Just In Time inventory system that the big stores utilize. I suggested to my wife that we "stock up" and she tells everyone that I'm making us "hoard up food like a doomsdayer" when in reality its maybe 2 weeks of essentials.

I’m in a similar boat. It was tough convincing my wife (who has an extreme aversion to waste) that we needed everything. I figure it’s best for everyone to prep early, since it has the least effect on the supply chain.

The worst case scenario is we end up donating some non-perishable food to a food bank in 9 months or a year.

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