Here we are! 2020 and the Great Corona Scare is in full swing. I know that almost everybody I’ve talked with about this is at least marginally and mostly completely of a different opinion surrounding all that’s transpiring, than am I.
The thing is, the Corona Virus in its current mutation is like so many other viri that have existed before it. It is “new to” the human immune system. I’m pretty sure if you asked the average immunologist or virologist, he or she would tell you this happens all the time.
The only real question is, “Just how serious an effect do we expect COVID-19 to have?”
There are many who will argue that, if we continue on our current course, that effect will be far less serious than it could be, and there’s some sense to that argument. The reality though, is that for the majority of folks who have and who are due to contract COVID-19, the chances are far better than not that they will make a relatively quick and pretty much—if not entirely— complete recovery.
Some smaller number of folks will suffer more severe symptoms, and sadly, a substantially smaller number, will die (or at least, come very close to death). If various folks are to be believed, the mortality rate is between one and three percent of all folks who contract the disease. The truth is, that number is undoubtedly skewed, based on the fact that the best figures presently available are out of China. I have nothing against China or the Chinese, but the reality is, they tend to be far less prepared for new viral outbreaks than a country like, say, the United States. I would argue that this is to be expected. Why? Well because of China’s immense population and comparatively small land mass.
“Wait!” You say, “China and the U.S. Are roughly the same size. This is true. Yet current population estimates indicate the peopling of China to be around 1.4 billion individuals, where the number of folks in the similar-sized U.S. is a mere 328 million. The United States is by no means perfect at dealing with things like viral outbreaks, but its record is substantially better than that of China. Again, that’s no knock on China (even if I happen to believe the U.S. Form of government is superior to the one used there).
In any case, the point is, it is expected that no more than three out of every hundred people is likely to die of COVID-19. As a rule, it is typically also true, that the longer a virus is around, the less likely folks are to die from it. This reality is due to a number of factors, but two “stick out in” my mind.
The first is that folks develop immunity to things. They contract a given disease, and their bodies fight it. The result, thanks to an amazing system (which I would argue is an amazing design), is such things largely “lose their teeth” over the course of time. It is arguable, but many scientists say this is why things like viri mutate to begin with.
The second thing that comes to mind, is that people tasked with dealing with afflicted souls, get better at doing so, the more of that particular group they work to help, figuring out how to keep the folks alive and—considering their sickened state—comparatively healthy.
These two realities alone are “game-changers.” If anything, I would expect the mortality rate to go down as the virus spreads. That’s not to say the number of people dying won’t go up, but that the number of folks dying in ratio to those contracting COVID-19 will likely go down.
Even if the number of folks dying ends up being orders of magnitude greater than the ‘flu that will invariably “go the rounds,” we’re still likely talking about better than a 96 percent survival rate!
I know, I know, anybody dying is bad. I’m not trying to argue to the contrary. The point though, is that when the World grinds to a halt over such an outbreak, the bare minimum result is that quality of life will be affected for a good many people. That is to say, among other things, they will at least have to spend a great deal of time and effort coming up with essentials just based on the fact that others will buy them, “Just in case.”
Then, contrary to popular and errant belief, there are the very many people who cannot work from home or remotely. In the best case those folks get paid to not work. In the worst, the folks employing them will at least advise, if not mandate that they not come in to work, while not compensating them.
The result is a bunch of folks living in various states, from wealthy to impoverished, who are not making money. In case you’re confused about that, many of those folks need to be earning money in order, in many cases, to just survive.
On top of that, many of them work doing things that allow others to do things like, shop for essentials, buy gas for the family car, or eat a relatively healthy meal. And again, many of those things cannot be done anywhere but the workplace.
Yes, it’s true, business does suffer as a result of such situations. That’s not a good thing to begin with, but the fact that others are “forced to” suffer right along with business is far worse.
In the end, what am I trying to say? It is this. If you have children, or parents, or friends or others about whom you care who’re likely to get at least a bad, if not the worst outcome from COVID-19 (or any other virus or disease), it’s entirely reasonable to want to “keep them out of the line of fire.” Even so though, telling the rest of the World that it’s unreasonable for them to “take their chances” when it comes to viri and similar is entirely unreasonable.
Your child, or parent, or uncle, or friend has a “compromised immune system” (whatever the reason)? I’m sorry to hear that! Do what you can to make it possible for them to “stay out of the fray.”
Ask others to help them as well, but please don’t tell the rest of the world to stop living life—even if only for a little while—in order to “protect them.”
Allow me to wish you good times, and thank you for reading.