Coronavirus panic buyers leave Tesco, Asda, Costco and Wilko shelves stripped bare as shoppers queue for loo roll
SHOPPERS fearful of a coronavirus lockdown are stripping the shelves of Asda, Costco, Tesco and Wilko.
Customers worried they'll face shortages if the country is quarantined like Italy have flocked to big supermarkets to buy items including bottled water and toilet roll.
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It comes as Boris Johnson announced the government has given up the fight to “contain” the outbreak after the coronavirus was declared a global pandemic.
The prime minister warned the UK has now reached the “delay” phase - and Brits have been put on notice that they could face sweeping restrictions, including self-isolating for a week if they have a persistent cough.
Now panic-buying has cleared out retailers, with shoppers photographing empty shelves at some of the UK's biggest stores.
In Tottenham, north London, Costco customer queued by the dozen with trolleys packet with loo paper and nappies.
Officials at Tesco have been forced to ration the sales of anti-bacterial products, dried pasta, tinned vegetables, toilet paper and tissues to five at a time.
And yesterday, Ocado's website and app crashed after worried Brits rushed to buy foods online.
Some 798 people in the UK have now been diagnosed with the deadly bug, which spreads through droplets as carriers cough and sneeze.
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However, bosses at the supermarket insist there's enough food to keep Brits fed during the coronavirus outbreak.
Dried pasta and rice, as well as long-life milk and sauces, have sold out of a number of supermarkets, and staff at Boots are selling bottles of Calpol one at a time.
The British Retail Consortium, which represents most of Britain's supermarkets, has urged shoppers not to panic as "retailers are well-versed in providing effective measures to keep retail sites running smoothly".
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