Dietary Panic under Public Crisis: A Case Study of the COVID-19 Outbreak

Abstract

Since April 1st, Shanghai had been under a citywide quarantine for two months due to the exponential growth of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron. Hence, over 25 million people have been confined, leading to drastic changes in residents’ dietary behaviours compared to the preceding period. This study aims to examine the patterns of dietary panic in the situation of public crisis through the case of shanghai confinement based on the method of participant observation. The discussion included perceived changes in food consumption, variety of foodstuff intake and individual culinary practices of inhabitants during the lockdown period. Variables which affected inhabitants’ dietary behaviours had been analysed, as well as the potential factors related to lack of food provisions. Research on the local food system and logistic access reflected the challenging food supply systems were facing as being restricted by anti-contagion policies and emergency public management, resulting in a common trend of irregular dietary habits and negative mental conditions during quarantine. Evaluating the situation may help to understand the relationship between dietary panic and global sanitary emergencies while being referenced further improvements in the method and timing of deploying public policy and societal management in the future.