The matter of individuals purchasing firearms and ammunition in response to the spread of the coronavirus is not limited to the united states and its unique culture. In fact it is occurring even in the nation of Australia. https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/restrictions-on-the-sale-of-firearms-and-ammunition/ In response to such facts, the government of the Virginia territory has put an immediate end to all legal purchases of firearms and ammunition by individuals who are licensed to own them. The government of the Virginia territory is not even claiming the shutdown is to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Rather it has admitted the shutdown is in response to the increased purchase of firearms and ammunition, and it is attempting to stop individuals from stockpiling such goods. So much for the notion that only people of the united states engage in the panic buying of firearms and ammunition during a crisis.
Victoria, not Virginia. If Hillary had won in 2016, you can bet dollars against doughnuts she would have done the same thing.
Fault noted. However the point remains the same, the panic buying of firearms and ammunition is not isolated to the united states. If it is occurring in the nation of Australia, it stands to reason the same is occurring in numerous other nations as well.
People want to defend themselves and have the upper hand against those that want to do them harm. That's a fundamental RIGHT that should NEVER be denied.
Even worse than the temporary lock down of the non-essential service (gun stores) is the lock down of the non-essential service (beauticians). All over the country Australian millions of men are trapped in close confinement with women who can't access their regular beauty treatments.The pain. Fortunately normal service has already resumed in most states or is resuming next month as we get on top of infections (only 3 new cases in my state yesterday). And as far as the ban on ammo sales went we were having similar runs on all sorts of products that had limits imposed or had sales restricted to essential consumers only. We can now get ammo now in most places if we need it.
Anyone who believes that firearm stores are a non-essential service need to have their sanity checked.
Your transposing your cultural values on ours. Here in urban areas at least the ownership and use of firearms are regarded predominately as a sport i.e. target shooting and hunting. The exception to this being their use by the agricultural sector for vermin and pest control. During the lock down all organized group sports and the related clubs were shut down, including shooting clubs. Long distance travel also ended so hunting trips were off the agenda as well. When the temporary ban came in there were some protests in some States by professional pest controllers and farmers with immediate needs who were then granted exemptions to the ban in order buy enough ammo for ongoing use. Again, self defense issues simply aren't the prominent issue you imagine over here. Oh firearms owners are cognisant of their value in self defence but it is NOT a legally valid reason for purchasing a firearm and most people simply don't feel a pressing need to buy one for that reason in any case. And all of this is all down to Australia having different historical/cultural values, crime issues and constitutional/legal systems to the US. Which means that of course we have different outlook on firearms. Not insane, just different.