Corona - Getting my meds & shopping

My Chemist had started locking the doors & only allowing 2 people in at the same time when I went yesterday to collect my meds. They told me to return today, which I did. About 45 minutes later I finally walked out with everything. I had to queue outside in the cold & rain for ages, everyone standing about a metre apart. Inside there was 1 pharmacist & 1 counter assistant on duty - unsurprisingly they have problems with staff being off sick. They were both working flat out. The phone rang continuously & the pharmacist had to keep ringing out to check & order drugs. The assistant had to serve & keep locking & unlocking the door, plus she had to deal with a big delivery of stock. Apparently every item has to be scanned in as well as unpacked. I felt hugely sorry for them both. Add to that they are risking getting infected themselves. No masks or special equipment. Amazing💖

The big supermarkets are offering an hour at the beginning of the day to people over 70 & those with a disability, so we have some chance of getting what we need before the vultures descend - and in my case before I am isolated at home. My big Sainsburys in Kidlington opens at 7am. So that means they are expecting me & those like me, to get there for 6am. They have no idea! I am not good first thing in the morning & certainly couldn't get up at 5.30 to go food shopping. Those on a limited budget who don't have a car wouldn't be able to use their bus pass. How are they proposing to "police" this? Are they going to ask for proof of age - a bus pass or something? Would we risk making the effort only to find the shelves hadn't been re-stocked?

Also limiting people to 3-5 of the same item just isn't good enough. The stockpiling has been going on for days. Not only shelves of loo rolls, cleaning materials, tins & packets are empty - meat, fruit & veg aisles are also empty. Apparently people are operating a black market for profit too. It's completely unacceptable. The supermarkets & government need to do much better. There is a lot of anxiety & fear.

There are two sides to every coin - a situation like this brings out the very best in some people & the very worst in others. I do hope the positive trumps the negative.