Friday frenzy as weekend lockdown sends thousands out to shop

Government’s attempts to lessen gatherings on Saturday, Labour Day, and Sunday, Father’s Day, by implementing a 10 am-5 am curfew seem to have been undone as thousands of people turned out on Friday to shop and stock up for the weekend, causing long lines and crowds at grocery stores and markets.

The rush, similar to what has happened almost every time new restrictions have been announced for the last 15 months, also caused major traffic jams on major thoroughfares including the Churchill-Roosevelt and Uriah Butler Highways, and the Southern and Eastern Main roads.

There were similar curfews a few weeks ago on public holidays, but these were spaced out and occurred during the week.

The lines at Westbees in Arouca and Diego Martin and Massy Stores in St Augustine ran the lengths of the buildings and doubled back on themselves, with shoppers waiting patiently to be let in. Their reasons for shopping varied. Some people were seen waiting in line with large refillable water bottles, while others left the store with bags and carts full and overflowing. The elderly, disabled, and frontline workers were allowed priority access.

An elderly gentleman at Massy Stores said he was shopping because today was the most convenient day for him. He said he was aware of the seriousness of covid19 and was taking all precautions.

“This is a serious situation that there are parts of the world where more people are dying every day because people not taking it serious. I have three friends who died because they didn’t take covid19 seriously.

"They were like, 'What you taking them on with their stupidness for?' Three of them died within a week. One, a barber who used to go around and shave people, he’s my age, he and his son got it and he died.

"Another one, he’s a lawyer, two people in his chamber got it, 84 years, he died.”

Many shoppers said they came because Friday was their day off, or when they got paid.

One young woman said, “I’m on rotation at work and today was my day off so it was the only day I could come, especially with the curfews, and then Father’s Day is Sunday, I want to get things as fresh as I can, pastries and things like that.”

A woman waiting in line with her daughter said she normally came to the grocery on Fridays, curfew or no curfew.

“I couldn’t come earlier in the week because I had to wait until I got paid. If I could have avoided coming today, I would have.”

One young man said the curfew didn’t affect his shopping habits, but he felt like having roti so was lining up to get a roti skin.

The Tunapuna Market was busy as people tried to get the goods they would normally have bought on Saturday or Sunday. The vendors were also trying to get their goods sold because the market was being closed at 2 pm and would not be reopened for the weekend.

One of the vendors, Rodney, said this was a hard time for farmers as they would be losing out on weekend sales.

“Normally when the weekend reaches there’d be more pace than in the week, as more people look out for the weekend to come out to buy. The vendors here right now, it’s very hard for us, look we have to hustle here because they’re closing at 2.

"We have goods here still and we have to push them out because if these remain here now, it can’t remain till next week, because these are perishable goods, these are things we would have to throw out.”

Another vendor said he would not normally come out on a Friday but had no choice in this instance. He said people came out to buy because the farmers wouldn’t be able to sell over the weekend.

One shopper said she was shopping for several people in her family.

“I came to the market for my mom. Since this whole covid thing happened, if one person has to leave the house, that person has to do everything, so I’m running errands for my mum, my sister, myself. I wouldn’t have come out if I didn’t have to, I would have stayed home and studied.”

One shopper said she’d also gone to the book store for her daughter who was doing SEA.

“I was so excited that the stores reopened because I have a daughter doing SEA, so I was grateful for the opportunity, so before anything closes again, because things change so quickly, I tried to take the opportunity to get them as soon as possible.”

Another said she was doing Father’s Day meal shopping. “Normally we’d go out to dinner, but this Father’s Day would be different because of the curfew and everywhere is closed so I’m cooking for my father.”

In a release, the TTPS reminded members of the public that ONLY pharmacies, supermarkets and mini-marts, religious organisations (for the purposes of weddings and funerals), funeral homes, and essential workers as stated in the public health regulations, are allowed to operate during the period of 5:01 am and 10:01 am on Saturday and 5:01 am and 10:01 am on Sunday.

It said that all other activities are not allowed.

The TTPS said it is committed to ensuring that people stay off the road unless it is necessary during this time, in order to minimise movement in keeping with the rationale for the State of Emergency, which is to reduce the impact of the covid19 virus on the population.

Persons requiring emergency assistance during curfew hours are asked to contact the Operational Command Centre at the following hotline numbers: 480-2000/612-3876/684-5730/684-5076/684-5035 and 684-5233.

For clarification on matters of what can and cannot be done during curfew hours and the State of Emergency, please contact the covid19 Legal Hotline at 74-COVID (742-6843).