Residents keeping level head in face of COVID-19

Redmond

Grocery shoppers at Aldi and Kroger in Poplar Bluff on Tuesday were concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the United States and the world, but also balanced that concern with a solid portion of level-headedness in the face of the virus.

Poplar Bluff resident Margie Redmond was heading into Kroger at midday to pick up groceries. She said that she believed that making the effort to slow the spread of the virus could make a difference.

“It’s a little scary, but I think we just all need to come together and do what we’ve got to do to support and encourage each other,” Redmond said. “Hopefully this storm will pass before it gets too bad. I’m not too radical about it. I just think if you follow what they tell us to do — keep your hands washed, stay (at least) six feet (from) people — just do what you’re supposed to do and contribute. It’s all we can do.”

Reed

Gary Reed also lives in Poplar Bluff and, like Redmond, was also making a midday trip to Kroger.

“If people wash their hands and do the things they’re supposed to be doing, I think we can limit some of the spread of the virus,” Reed said. “I think that if people take the precautions that they should, then yeah — we can definitely limit it. But there are definitely people going to the extreme right now.”

Among the shoppers at Aldi were several out-of-town residents, including Tyler McGee of Ellsinore, who said that panicking about the virus was a negative.

McGee

“I think it’s completely crazy,” McGee said. “Everybody’s in a panic and that’s just getting way out of hand really fast.”

Daryl and Phyllis Libla made the trip down from Greenville to shop at Aldi. Like McGee, they thought panic and hoarding were exacerbating the situation with the pandemic.

“If people would stop hoarding stuff, we would all be OK,” Phyllis Libla said. “We would all be better off as far as (this) hoarding is concerned.”

Libla

Hannah Newman drove down from Silva in Wayne County to also pick up groceries at Aldi. She said that concern, not panic, was the best way to go right now.

“I think it’s something to be concerned about — not panicked about, but concerned about,” Newman said. “I think it’s something we need to be concerned about.”

Newman