Grocery Worker Has Never Seen Shelves Being Emptied Like This

Michelle Lee, a cashier at a Safeway in Alexandria, Va., has kept working through the pandemic. In fact, she has been working harder than ever.

"My back is hurting a little bit, but I'm doing all right," she told NPR in March. "It's been really, really busy. The lines are really long. Customers are buying $200, $300, $400 worth of groceries. And it's constant. It's nonstop."

In her 32 years with Safeway, Lee said, she has never seen shelves being emptied the way they have been during this crisis.

She said she wished more customers would be patient when they encountered shortages. Most are understanding, she said, but not everyone.