New Yorkers are preparing for the second lockdown due to COVID-19: what are they stocking up on

As the number of cases grows COVID-19 in New York and across the country, city dwellers fear a repeat of the March and April spikes. Fortunately, this time they know better what they need to survive indoors for months. They shared their know-how on how to prepare for a possible lockdown with the publication New York Post.

Upper West Side resident Jacqueline Patchen buys toilet paper and paper towels in bulk from Costco. She takes as much as she can fit in her small apartment. But it tries to do it deliberately, without buying more than it really needs - so as not to contribute to the serious shortages that still plague some local markets. “I buy enough to share with my neighbors,” Jacqueline, 31, explained.

Patchen also figured out how to store food so that it takes up less space in the refrigerator. She fills the Ziploc bags about 70% with soup and puts them in the freezer. “This is how you can maximize freezer space,” she said.

Diany Levy, a StuyTown resident, bought a new $ 200 compact freezer when rumors began to surface of quarantine in parts of the city due to the COVID-19 outbreak. “If I don’t do it now, they will be sold out,” Levy explained.

Milk for her newborn son takes up a lot of space in the refrigerator, so she needs extra storage space. “We eat kosher food at home,” added Levy. In the midst of the pandemic, the grocery store where she makes purchases raised the minimum order amount to $ 150. "Now I have a place to order in bulk."

Another resident of the city, Rachel Silverman, is preparing for the second wave of coronavirus in her own way. Since she would have to spend a lot of time at home if a lockdown was announced, she started renovations. Rachel plans to change the color scheme in her bedroom to a more relaxed one. “At some point in the spring, I got so tired of looking at her that I didn't even turn on the bedroom light,” said 35-year-old Silverman.

Therefore, together with her husband, Silverman plans to replace the furniture, as well as repaint the walls before winter. “We will take control of everything we can and make life in our apartment as comfortable as possible,” she said.

Silverman also buys a pack of Clorox napkins every time he goes to the store. She does not buy more so that other people in need of this product can purchase it.

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Magdalena Black moved with her husband to a larger apartment so their 16-month-old son could run indoors. They did this in case they had to stay in the apartment again for a long time. Lower rent in Manhattan allowed them to move from Brooklyn to Columbus Circle. “If there is another blockage, there is a huge Central Park nearby, so we can occupy ourselves while on the street,” Magdalena said. "But the number of places where we can take a walk with a child is limited."

To help, Magdalena's parents equipped their new home with a covered playground with swings and a slide. “Now that it's getting colder again, we're preparing for the worst,” she said.

Christina Morales is fighting to ensure that her immunocompromised son has the reserves he needs to stay healthy. “My son was diagnosed with severe brain cancer last year,” Morales said.

The 31-year-old mother of two tries once a week to buy paper towels, Clorox wipes and cleaning products if available. “Antibacterial soaps are definitely hard to find right now,” she says. "Good toilet paper like Charmin is still hard to come by."

At the same time, she tries not to make irrational purchases, thereby taking away essential goods from others. “When I saw pictures of old people going shopping and there was nothing on the shelves, it broke my heart,” Morales said. "I hope we can all get the supplies we need."