Fears of supply chain chaos grow amid rumours Beijing’s first ever Covid lockdown looms
Rumours of a looming Covid lockdown in Beijing has sparked panic-buying among residents of the Chinese capital – and stoked fears an even greater supply chain disaster could hit the world in the months ahead.
Shanghai’s 25 million-odd residents have struggled through six weeks of brutal lockdown as China reels from the biggest Covid outbreak since the start of the pandemic in 2019.
However, while Beijing citizens have faced pandemic restrictions over the years, they’ve never been plunged into a full lockdown before.
But that could be about to change, with a growing outbreak in the city prompting spooked locals to buy up staples in preparation for the worst.
On Thursday, rumours of a looming Beijing lockdown started spreading throughout Chinese social media sites, and soon after, lengthy queues were seen outside supermarkets, with shelves stripped bare and online grocery delivery apps flooded with orders, blowing out delivery times.
The panic was so severe authorities were forced to deny the rumours, with Beijing municipal government spokesman Xu Hejian declaring during a press conference on Thursday that claims of an upcoming “quiet period” in the city were false.
“It is unnecessary to hoard food,” he said.
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I wonder how long it will be before this is felt here? I’ve kept a very close eye on the stock in most of the stores I regularly buy from- Tractor Supply, Walmart, Sams, Rural King, United Grocery, O’Reillys Auto, Home Depot/Lowes, CVS Pharmacy etc….and honestly- over the last month or so, I’ve seen very few empty spots on the shelves. I actually walk the entire stores, aisle by aisle etc….Prices are up of course but there is supply on the shelves of most everything.
Online, most “gun stuff” seems to be in stock and I’m seeing sales on some things and my Inbox is getting the shit spammed out of it by all the dealers- AIM, Palmetto State, Optics Planet, SG AMMO, Big Tex, Primary Arms etc…They are sending out crap constantly- much more so than in the recent past. To me, that indicates a slow down in demand….One exception might be magnified optics- there are quite a few “back order” OK optics right now–which could be a supply and or demand or both thing.
One thing that HAS gotten noticeably worse as far as I can see is new vehicle stock at dealers. They do seem to have a few more cars on the lots but it’s used stuff.
What I wonder is, why the extreme lock downs in China when the Wuhan virus we experienced seemed roughly comparable to “only” a bad flu. Mortality was NOT high and mostly took those who were on the edge already.
Why would the Chinese leadership harm their own economy as they are now?
Something big is hiding from my (our?) view.
A truly deadly contagion on the loose in China?
A realignment (coup) in progress?
Pure, simple, stupidly destructive mistake?