Pharmacist's dash for eclipse glasses sparks long queues

A Belgian pharmacist's last-minute dash to Germany for eclipse glasses resulted in an unexpected surge of demand, leading to long queues and community-wide efforts to manage the situation. Pharmacist An-Sophie De Buck heard about the high demand for eclipse glasses and, finding local supplies depleted, traveled to Germany to secure 10,000 certified glasses.

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I just got back from vacation and realized that many people were still looking for glasses for this evening's solar eclipse. We live in a village. I really wanted to do everyone a favor and started searching. It's no longer possible here in Belgium, so I had to look further for certified glasses.

Her social media announcement brought a flood of customers to her Wetteren-ten-Ede pharmacy before opening. By 7 a.m., a line had already formed, with volunteers stepping in to help manage the crowd. The local police were alerted to assist with traffic control due to the unexpected influx of people.

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I only found a supplier in Munich and had to buy 10,000 of them. Two drivers left yesterday and by 2 a.m. tonight we had all the eclipse glasses. I did advertise on social media, and it shows, because people were already queuing at 7 a.m.

Customers explained their urgent need for the glasses. One woman had simply forgotten to buy them earlier, while a man from Ninove had his online order lost in transit. Both were determined to get glasses for their families to witness the celestial event.

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I thought: I'll still go get some.

Another customer picked up 12 pairs for her neighbors, highlighting the community's shared enthusiasm. The event demonstrated a strong local desire to experience the solar eclipse, with the community rallying to ensure as many people as possible could safely view it.

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I went to the post office to inquire. Then I started looking on Facebook yesterday and saw they were still being sold, so here I am.