Retailers in the city are preparing for the further limitation of items amidst the knock-on effects of the threat of coronavirus.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Supermarket chains Woolworths and Coles have had to impose further limits on the amount of toilet paper customers can buy, with Woolworths imposing a two-pack limit while Coles has reduced the limit to strictly one pack per customer.
Rossies Foodworks manager Ross Catanzariti said the independent grocer has also had to implement a two-pack limit per customer, with the decision coming as a result of limitations imposed on the retailer in regards to the amount of items they can purchase.
"We've been limited from the warehouse withdrawals so there's been limits put on how much we can buy in," Mr Catanzariti said.
"If they've already limited us as a retailer of how much they'll send to us, we've got to also limit that back down to the consumer."
Mr Catanzariti said the limitation of toilet paper purchases is likely to be the start of limitations imposed on items, but said there is no real need to change shopping habits and buy in large quantities yet.
"There's still no big rush or panic, it's only just been the toilet paper that's been hit," Mr Catanzariti said.
"At the moment we're utilising what we've got in here, but I feel that a little bit further down the track if packaging materials, raw materials are being held back ... that will have an effect on products in here.
"We'll probably in this next week or so we'll just see where it actually takes us and what starts coming in on our next loads and what's going to be available ... there's measures being taken up in the industry at the moment just to slow things out and put things back."
READ MORE
The further limitation comes as members of the city's catholic community take steps to reduce the potential transmission of disease, with the Catholic Diocese of Wagga Wagga issuing a protocol to all communities in the region.
Under the implemented protocols, all communities in the Diocese will remove Holy Water from fonts and refrain from touching each other during the sign of peace.
The Precious Blood will not be distributed, with those who distribute Holy Communion instructed to use hand sanitiser before and after distribution and communion of the Sacred Host is to be received in the hand only, rather than on the tongue.
Griffith parish priest Father Andrew Grace said the protocols were a "common sense approach" to helping reduce the potential transmission of disease and the protocols have been quickly implemented into services.
"If it [coronavirus] does come to Griffith we must all work together and do our part," Fr Grace said.
"A lot of people are quite concerned but equally they're quite saddened by people fighting over [items like] toilet paper ... we should be helping one another."
Fr Grace said parishioners have spent time praying for the safety of those working to stop the spread of the disease and praying for those who are less-fortunate to be able to have access to essential items as well.
Testing for the virus has occurred in Griffith, with five tests undertaken at Griffith Base Hospital over the course of last week, with 47 cases of the virus confirmed within NSW as of 2pm on March 9.
