Pandemic of unCommon Sense

If someone can invent a common sense kit, for sure that person will be a billionaire.

I kid you not, there are probably more people living today which needs that kit (if it can be sold) than in anytime in recorded history.

1. Paper Towels

Why would anyone buy six packs of toilet paper (32 rolls each pack) at one time? And why would anyone physically hurt someone over a pack? I mean, yes people are panic buying, and you see them but why would you rush over there and do the same thing; running over someone with your shopping cart and kicking someone out of the way to snag the last pack?

Yes, clean up on aisle four. Toilet paper shelves are cleaned out as well.

2. Racism

We know covid19, the novel coronavirus came out of Wuhan. But planning not to watch the movie Mulan has nothing to do with it.

And Chinese looking individuals outside of China most probably have never even been to China yet (like most of us). To those who have assaulted Chinese looking individuals, please be reminded there is a bigger chance that Asian looking individual is probably not even Chinese but someone from another Asian country.

A good thing to keep in mind is that covid19 is like pasta. The Chinese invented them but it was the Italians who made it popular and shared it to the West.

If you are to get infected with covid19, you are most likely to get infected by someone of your own ethnicity, well unless if you are in China.

3. Corona Beer

And yes, I don't think switching to a Bud, Coors and Heineken will prevent you from catching the coronavirus. And drinking Corona beers absolutely has nothing to do the virus. Needing to actually say this is the saddest thing I can think of.

Also vodka will not kill the virus in your body. And do not use your alcoholic beverage to wash your hands. Soap and water should do.

And yes the soap shelves in most stores are still well stocked. Think about that for a moment. This is probably why governments need to teach their people to wash and even how to wash their hands.

Corona virus Outbreak

I know no one wants to say it but the corona virus (Covid 19) is unofficially a pandemic. It has been for several weeks now.

Avoid getting infected and help stop the spread of this virus

110+ Countries

Numbers don't lie. The virus has now reached over 110 countries with over 110K total infected.

Although currently, "only" over 3K has died and over 6K seriously infected (officially listed).

Of the total, 62K has since recovered, but over 43K are still infected, the numbers are rising and worldwide the mortality rate is 6%.

And these numbers are on the conservative side no doubt.

Countermeasures

Multiple cities are on lockdown. Several cities have suspended work and school, and places were people normally congregate are no longer allowing people to do so. People are screened at ports of entry, placed on quarantine if infected or go on voluntary self quarantine.

I know depending on one's agenda or predisposition, it is either that one's perception is that the corona virus is no deadlier than the flu or that it is the one that kills humankind.

Common Sense

Of course both of these are extremes. Many will hold on to their personal narrative, but whether we believe it or not, this novel virus is more dangerous than the flu and although not a death sentence, it has a significantly higher mortality rate. It is also not the pandemic that will end humankind.

Pandemic

Now, even though no one wanted to say it, by definition it is a pandemic, it has not been contained, it has spread worldwide, we can't stop it and it is killing people in every continent daily. It has no vaccine and no cure, not  just yet.

Reason

But it is still not the time to panic and defintely not the time to panic buy. Although a good measure if not a healthy measure of both is ideal and logical.

Preventive measures should be implemented regardless of one's point of view. Keep calm but take all necessary precautions.

Don't single out Asians or Chinese looking individuals. Outside of China, you are more likely to catch it from a non-Asian person -- chances are you will get infected by someone of your own ethnicity.

Please check the current numbers below, it is updated daily. Protect yourself and your loved ones. This outbreak will get worse before it gets better. Be smart. Be safe. Be informed and use common sense.

worldometers.info/coronavirus/


Numbers as of today:

Pandemic

A pandemic is an epidemic which causes pandemonium.

No seriously, a pandemic is an epidemic of world-wide proportions.

The last massive pandemic (like in the millions dying) is the flu pandemic that occured 100 years ago, between 1918 and 1922. There was an estimated 25 million deaths in its first two years.

This deadly outbreak cut across the world, infecting over a third of the world’s population and killing 30 to 50 million people out of the 500 million people infected. Imagine there was not even that much air travellers back then.

Experts have been saying all along that the next pandemic is a matter of when not if. Meaning it will happen, it will start with one person being infected by a new virus which humans has no natural ability to fight against and depending on how deadly and how contagious the virus is, and how fast it is contained then that will determine how many millions will become infected and how many could die from it.

Certified Pandemic

Of course, many people do not want to believe the hype. But the novel Corona virus outbreak has at the latest count infected 15,000 people and killed over 300. The first death outside of China (the country it originated in) has just occured and the virus has been confirmed to have spread to 25 countries so far.

Quarantine

60 million people have been put in quarantine in a huge region of China, which initially was just the mega city of Wuhan and then almost the whole province of Hubei. But we really do not know how many of the infected have already gone outside of the area on lockdown and how many of them have slipped out and flew out of the country. Every region of the entire country of China (population over 1B) has already been infected.

Sources: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University; National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China; local governments. Note: Data as of 4 p.m. E.T., Feb. 2

What Now

Vigilance is the key. Even if you do not want to believe the hype. The fact that infected people have already been confirmed to have left China and have arrived in to 25 countries and someone infected has died in a different country and that many more people suspected of carrying the virus are either unconfirmed or under reported should get our attention.

The next few weeks will determine if this pandemic will turn into pandemonium.

Stay tuned.

Link: Epidemic Epicenter