A coronavirus related shortage even scarier than the toilet paper shortage earlier this year may be coming our way.

Just in time for Christmas, a cookie shortage may be on the way according to Top Data. Unlike the toilet paper shortage that was caused by everyone in America deciding on the same day that they needed to rush out and buy 24 rolls or more of toilet paper, the possible cookie shortage is a little more mundane.

The issue has come about because of two colliding aspects of the coronavirus lockdowns – curfews and stay-at-home orders. People spending a lot more time at home has resulted in Americans eating 25 percent more cookies than normal.

And that’s a lot of cookies. An estimated 70 million Americans eat more than three cookies every day and 95 percent of Americans eat at least one cookie a month.

The coronavirus has caused labor shortages across the board as people who test positive or who have been exposed to the coronavirus are forced to self quarantine. So with cookie demand soaring and cookie providers struggling to keep up with fewer workers, a cookie shortage could be on the way.

However, if the US can make it through the Christmas season without grocery stores having empty shelves it all may work out. According to a source, who asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized to speak on the topic, after Christmas Santa has promised to get his elves right to work on producing cookies and that should be enough to tip the scales on the side of cookiedom.

Not that the whole mess will be a big problem for North Carolina, which ranks 44th in the country in per capita cookie consumption. There is something about the South and cookie consumption: South Carolina ranks 49th and Louisiana ranks 50th.

The top cookie eating state in the country is Utah, with Idaho at number two and Oregon not far behind in third place.