Marnoo's Lois Johnson was forced to make a dash to the supermarket before lockdown

Living 50 kilometres from a major supermarket, Mrs Johnson jumped in her car to get supplies for the five day lockdown - her cupboards purposely depleted as a planned trip away was on the cards.

"I know I can go to the shops if I don't have one within five kilometres but it doesn't feel right," Mrs Johnson said.

"I hadn't stocked up on the Thursday thinking we could stop on the way back from our trip."

She said all the trolleys were in use when she got to Stawell Woolworths at 2.45pm on Friday, February, 12.

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"It was controlled bedlam, no one was getting angry but there was a lot of people lining up," Mrs Johnson.

"Because it was a snap decision, if you didn't an option that was the day to do it."

She said the car park was quite chaotic.

"It's hard enough to get a park when it's quiet," Mrs Johnson.

"There were so many close calls when I was just standing in the car park.

"I think people were just overwhelmed."

Mrs Johnson said she thought people were being reasonable when shopping and not panic buying.

"Even though things got really low last time, I didn't see any empty shelves while I was there," she said.

Being from a smaller area Ms Johnston said people are more likely to have food in the country.

"We have supplies in our cupboards so we're not going to starve. People in the inner city don't have the capacity to keep stuff in fridges and freezers and the supermarkets around the corner so it's the way they normally shop," she said.

Ms Johnson noted people in the country have got it a bit easier.

"At least up here in the country we've got more fresh air and space," she said.

"Perhaps by jumping on COVID-19 early, we'll get it under control sooner rather than later."

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