A Frantic Search For Ensure Plus Coffee during the Covid19 Circuit Break

This has to be the first time in my life that I encountered empty shelves in the supermarket, stability and peace should never be taken for granted. Overstocking food and essentials at home are just plain selfish actions, a me-first mentality is not the way to go. Especially at times like these, Covid-19 has really shaken the world. We should all be united and help one another instead of playing a finger-pointing game of whose fault the virus is. Lives are lost every day and most saddening part is the elderly are the most vulnerable group.

Photo by John Cameron on Unsplash

My family member who has cancer depends on the milk feed Ensure for daily nutrients. He does not have an appetite for food so the milk feed is a great supplement that keeps him from wasting away.

No stock of Ensure Plus Coffee till June 2020 – This was what I was told by my usual vendor Tong Hai Department Store. We were down to our last 5 bottles. My family member was adorable he kept telling me it is ok I will ration my milk feed. It doesn’t help much that this is the only flavour that he likes but when you are sick and everything tastes like crap because your taste butts are messed up by the countless medications you have to take on a daily basis, I think is a small price to pay to get your love one something that gives them a bit of relieve.

Scouring the internet for elderly care supply vendors –  I went to several websites in my search for Ensure being sold in cartons of 30 bottles, A single bottle on its own retail at SGD$3.10. While a Carton of 30 costs from SGD$72.00 to SGD$81.00 about SGD$12.00 difference. I made sure that I looked through all the reviews to ensure each vendor I listed below had good reviews and minimal complaints. I hope the list would be useful.

Tong Hai Department Store – $72.00/carton of ’30s Free Delivery for 3 Cartons

Rehab Mart –  $75.00 Free Delivery for above $150.00 purchases – very kind and responsible store check will all their physical store plus a warehouse for me and called me back on the same day.

Lazada Mall – 14 bottles at $33.40

National Health Care Group Pharmacy – $78.00 per carton 30 bottles of free delivery.
I managed to get 3 cartons which were the maximum that you are allowed to order from NHG Pharmacy, they also provided free delivery for purchases above SGD$150.00. Excellent service, they called an hour before they delivered the milk and the delivery guy was very helpful making sure that I could carry the stock into my home before he left.

Ntuc FairPrice Extra Hougang One  – I managed to get a few bottles at $3.10 to last the few days before my delivery arrived.

When I have a little extra, I always believe in giving it to the less fortunate, they need our support even more than ever now. https://www.giving.sg/ is an excellent portal to lend a helping hand during this epidemic. Instead of me and my own needs and wants. Let us help one another to get out of this dire situation united as one. Be a person of substance.