"Entire shelves empty..."

I realized that the COVID-19 pandemic was going to be a global, life-changing event when I noticed how interrupted my routine was. At first, when news of the pandemic was beginning to spread, I wasn't very concerned; I remember the H1N1 crisis, and being vaccinated and hearing of its impacts then, but I was far too young to have any strong connections to the event. Because of this, I have no personal reference of comparison for Coronavirus. I think my point of realization was going to the store to pick up a few items for my mom, who was too scared of the virus to go out herself. I saw entire shelves empty due to other customers stocking up. My parents were in a frenzy, frequently going to various stores all over our area, buying what they could. Additionally, I was also stunned into reality when I realized how business's supply chain was impacted; my mom would order things online and they wouldn't arrive for months later, if at all.

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