Territorians ignore advice and panic buy en masse after lockdown announcement
Territorians have ignored advice of health authorities en masse and begun panic buying minutes after a 48-hour lockdown was announced.
Northern Territory
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TERRITORIANS have ignored advice of health authorities en masse and begun panic buying minutes after a 48-hour lockdown was announced, despite the fact supermarkets and bottle shops will remain open.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner announced the snap lockdown from 1pm on Sunday but stressed that panic buying was unnecessary and irresponsible as supply lines would be unaffected.
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However residents of the affected areas of Darwin, Palmerston and the Rural Area quickly ignored that advice and lined up around the block to buy things they will still be able to buy during the lockdown.
It comes after supermarket shelves were already stripped of toilet paper following the announcement that a mine worker in Central Australia had tested positive to Covid-19 on Saturday.
From 1pm on Sunday residents in the affected areas must wear masks when leaving the house and can only do so for five specified reasons.
They include medical treatment including Covid testing and vaccination, shopping for essential goods (including alcohol), essential work, exercise and caring for someone who cannot care for themselves.
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