The Government backed away from a blanket ban on deliveries by alcohol and tobacco wholesalers yesterday.The change of heart came after David Burt, the Premier, said the day before that liquor and cigarette distributors were among the businesses shut down as part of restrictions to slow the spread of Covid-19, but added there “may be some thought to allow limited restocking” if shelves were stripped.He tweeted, however, in an apparent about-face: “As I stated yesterday, we will be allowing restocking of these items.”Mr Burt said yesterday afternoon there would be “a series of amendments to regulations surrounding the shelter-in-place order when it is extended for a further two weeks”. He added: “Items that are likely to be included for limited activities are laundromats, hardware supply, pet supply and plant nurseries.“Also restocking of alcohol and tobacco products will be permitted during this period.”Mr Burt added: “When the shelter-in-place order was initially announced, it was our hope that it would be for only two weeks and that there would be, on some level, a return to normalcy.“With the extension of the shelter-in-place for a further two weeks and recognising that, for example, that many of our essential workers rely on laundromats to clean their uniforms, certain changes must be made.”Mr Burt said the changes would be publicised when they were finalised.He added any alternations to the restrictions would maintain social-distancing to minimise Covid-19 transmission.Mr Burt said there had been some panic buying, but emphasised that there was “no need to rush to the store”.Spencer Butterfield, the chief executive of food distributor Butterfield & Vallis, said earlier in the week that the wholesalers were “indeed closed, so they’re not supplying the trade”.However, Mr Butterfield added: “They will have inventory that they will be very eager to sell once the lockdown is lifted.”Grant Farquhar, a psychiatrist at the Solstice therapy clinic in Hamilton, warned that alcohol had become a problem for some people under the shelter-in-place restrictions.But he added allowing shelves to go bare risked unintended consequences. Dr Farquhar said some clients had told him they were “finding it harder to control their drinking due to the current and ongoing stress of the coronavirus lockdown”.He added: “Some of this is self-medication of an underlying mood or anxiety disorder and I’ve had to review the treatment plans of many clients who’ve been destabilised by the situation.”He said anyone alarmed by their alcohol consumption should do “everything possible to minimise stress and maximise wellness — diet, exercise, meditation, connect with friends and family”.Dr Farquhar added withdrawal symptoms for someone with severe alcohol problems was a medical emergency that could lead to seizures and even death.He said: “This would typically begin 24 to 72 hours after the last drink.”Dr Farquhar added: “It is dangerous to go cold turkey from alcohol and detoxification should be medically managed to reduce the risks.”Dr Farquhar said he supported “the normal supply of alcohol and cigarettes alongside foodstuffs”.He said a “prohibition experiment” would add to stress and have “unintended negative consequences, such as panic buying of alcohol and cigarettes, the precipitation of alcohol withdrawal symptoms and increased black market activity”.