Perhaps it is. However, I think it is probably more likely to be a media disinformation campaign designed to get Americans to panic buy.
Last night we had a phone call from relative in midwest near packing plants that have had to close due to a COVID19 outbreak. He said the press is distorting what closing means. They are just down for the time it takes to sanitize the plants and reorganize the lines to accommodate social distancing. The plants are also hiring replacement workers in huge numbers. He said the locals expect the plants to be up and running again in two weeks.
And when the new workers get sick as well?
This will be an ongoing thing until we get herd immunity to this.
It’s not a ‘get trump’ or ‘panic america’ thing. It’s a result of people getting herd immunity in bits and pieces.
...down for the time it takes to sanitize the plants and reorganize the lines to accommodate social distancing. ...
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Makes sense. Saw some pics of plastic sheets hung between workers, everyone in PPE.