You name it SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 or Coronavirus — we live in hysterical times. According to the year and the statistics or rather estimations you can find, the flu kills between 0.5 million and 1 million people around the globe. Every year! And there is no panic. Yes, there are vaccines for the flu. But you can argue that this means the flu is even much worse because there IS a vaccine and still up to one million people die. The 2017/18 flu killed over 25,000 people in Germany alone. The Spanish flu after World War One killed some estimated 20 to 50 million people.
So far, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 aka the novel Coronavirus has killed some 5,000 people worldwide. No reason to get hysterical, no reason to panic. Keep calm but follow the hyienic, health recommendations. Try to keep a distance of one meter to other people in the street, in the super market, etc. Wash your hands regularly with soap for twenty seconds. Don’t shake hands or hug other people. If you cough and/or have a fewer or other potential coronavirus-symptoms, stay home, call a doctor or healthcare hotline by phone for advice and stay home for 2 weeks. If you entered in contact with people who have the virus, do the same.
As far as we know, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 aka the novel Coronavirus kills mainly people over 70 with preconditions. For most people, this virus will only cause mild symptoms. The virus can spread because many people, including children, will show very mild or no symptoms and, therefore, spread it unknowingly.
Yes, we should do everything to slow down the spreading of the virus, but at the same time not kill our economies. We have to continue to produce goods and services while respecting hygienic recommendations, e.g. keep a distance of one meter to other people such as co-workers, customers, etc. [update added on March 15, 2020 at 22:28 German time: Claudia Spies from the Charité, Centrum für Anästhesiologie und Intensivmedizin, has just said on German public TV to keep a distance of 2 meters]. Use contactless pay methods such as with your credit card or phone instead of cash.
We cannot shut down the economy now or in the future whenever our health is at risk. Otherwise, our economy and our democracy are at risk. SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 aka the novel Coronavirus epidemic / pandemic is not the first and not the last disease to threaten our lives. We have to learn to live with it — and try to find a vaccine. Humans and rats have always adapted quickly, that’s how and why we have surived and managed to populate our planet. Because we are so many now with more contacts around the globe than ever, diseases can spread quickly. Once again: No reason to get hysterical. Just adapt.
Taiwan, South Korea and others have shown that the SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 aka the novel Coronavirus epidemic / pandemic can be overcome.
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Article added on March 15, 2020 at 15:16 Swiss time.
