As China Eases Lockdown, Canned Peaches Disappear... Panic Buying Spreads Everywhere

Rumors of 'Symptom Relief' Lead to Sold-Out Canned Peaches
Fever Reducers, Cold Medicines Also Sold Out

On the 15th, citizens are lining up at a pharmacy in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province in eastern China, to buy antigen test kits. Photo by AFP·Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] As China relaxes its quarantine measures and effectively enters a 'With Corona' phase, hoarding of foods and medicines believed to boost immunity is rampant.

On the 15th, the BBC, citing local Chinese media, reported that citizens across China are buying up all ibuprofen (antipyretic, anti-inflammatory pain reliever), cold medicine, and COVID-19 test kits, resulting in most medicines being sold out at pharmacies.

Additionally, rumors have spread that 'boksoonga tongjo-rim' (canned peaches), which have a long shelf life and are said to help alleviate COVID-19 symptoms, are experiencing shortages both online and offline. In response to these rumors, the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper, the People's Daily, stated, "Canned peaches themselves have no medicinal effect in alleviating COVID-19 symptoms," and urged netizens to "prevent the pandemic based on scientific evidence and not be misled by fake news."

It is also reported that people, fearing product shortages, have rushed to stock up on home remedies, bottled water, and daily necessities. As a result, pharmacy shelves are empty, and pharmaceutical production lines are fully operational to cope with the surge in demand.

According to JD Health, a Chinese healthcare platform, sales of antigen kits increased by 344% from November 28 to December 4 compared to the previous week, and searches for the cold medicine Lianhua Qingwen rose 2,000 times compared to last year.

The BBC analyzed, "Hoarding was a global phenomenon at the beginning of the pandemic, but now, as the Chinese government announces the easing of quarantine measures, citizens are flocking to pharmacies to buy medicines indiscriminately," adding, "It appears that citizens, fearing a large-scale infection spread in winter, are panic buying medicines."

Meanwhile, as the Chinese government lifts COVID-19 lockdowns faster than expected, projections suggest that daily confirmed cases could reach up to 5.6 million, and the total death toll could reach 2.1 million.