Corona Virus Between Fear and Reality
Over the past months, the amygdala (the center of fear in our brain) has been in an excessively increased state. With the spread of the CORONA virus (and the anxiety that accompanied it), the level of fear has risen globally due to the epidemic spreading through our news and social media. But does this fear make sense and is it a natural reaction to this epidemic, or are we, as human beings, as a normal adult in evaluating the coronavirus?
The problem with scary things is that we’re not good at dealing with them. Humans are horrified at the explanation of the risks. For example, we are more afraid of an air bump on board if a speeding car passes by. So, our fears are often based on external factors of influence, making them illogical, as is the case with the coronavirus. We fear what we do not understand. What we fear is that we seek to control it.
Let’s talk about mortality rates … While this is not a comparison of similar things, our reaction to death is essential. When we hear about deaths from the Coronavirus, we pay attention to a red alert. But we’ll put some statistics in your hands-on different mortality rates to illustrate our case.
On one of the worst days of coronavirus in America, 2,909 patients died. But on a given day globally,
26,283 people die of cancer.
49,041 people die from heart and vascular diseases.
4,383 people die from diabetes.
Meanwhile, suicide kills an average of 2,119 people …
Mosquitoes kill more than 2,740 people
An average of 1,287 are killed every day.
In this context, Dr. Paul Sachs, Doctor of Infectious Diseases at Harvard Medical School, was interviewed for what scares me (and what doesn’t scare me) of the corona virus, and its answers were as follows:
Q: My child has an appointment with a pediatrician next week, and the doctor’s office is right next to the hospital. Is it safe to go?
A: Yes.
Q: Do I have to wear a mask while travelling by bus or any other public transport?
A: Only if you are sick, because the mask will protect others. Otherwise, masks may not do anything to protect you. Here’s what you should do: wash your hands!
Q: I planned a year-long trip to Australia and New Zealand and I’m supposed to leave in early April – should I cancel the ticket now and get some of my money back?
A: Don’t cancel unless the worry of going won’t make you enjoy the trip.
Q: I just got back from France and I have a severe cough, sore throat and chills. How do I know if it’s seasonal influenza or coronary virus?
A: We can’t really figure it out. Contact your doctor.
What can be inferred from this dialogue is that much of the information we know about the Coronavirus has a lot of mistakes and doubts about it, and our fear of this epidemic is undoubtedly exaggerated.
The new corona virus called Sars-CoV-2, the disease it causes, Covid-19, is sweeping the world. With thousands of deaths already, and many tens of thousands of infected people worldwide, it is safe to say that the coronavirus has become one of the biggest events of the 21st century. It may only be a matter of time before we see an outbreak everywhere, with public health authorities warning that the disease will likely begin to spread soon no matter where you are on the planet.
In the case of the corona virus, there are some obvious examples. Reports indicate that people are terrified of a shortage of materials from toilet paper to ibuprofen, even if there is no outbreak of the virus in their local area and there is no strong possibility of any shortage any time soon. People head to pharmacies in large numbers, pulling masks off the shelves as if they would be implemented tomorrow, although evidence strongly suggests that masks are a waste of time for most people. The main reason you’re buying a mask, something the health authorities have been saying for weeks, is that you’re sick, because it prevents the flying spray while coughing from reaching other people’s faces.
Which brings us to one of the most frightening parts of the coronavirus, which is probably what brought people to the brink. Most recommendations are things others should do. Wear masks when you are sick. Stay at home if you feel unwell. Cover the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. Seek medical care early. Relying on other people – without having too much control over your destiny – is something none of us like. Yes, you should wash your hands and stop touching your face, but we should not allow any of these interventions to affect your sense of security.
And that’s really what this panic is all about. dealing with fear. Tryto find a small amount of control over a position that seems to be made of pure chaos. Although these methods are probably useless, we all really want to be able to do something to prevent ourselves from getting sick. Buying 15 cans of hand sanitizer sounds like a buffer against darkness, as if we were buying a normal plate of soap.
So, in the midst of these scary stories, it’s worth noting that although we may not control everything, there are things based on things you can do to help ourselves. WHO has a series of simple tips on its website that anyone can follow. Wash your hands too much, and don’t touch your face. It may sound boring, but often the best advice is exactly. Even if pharmacy shelves are completely free of N95 respirators, you may find boring old soaps more useful anyway.
In the end, the most important thing is not to panic, because panic is deadly. Take a deep breath, remember that the “pandemic” describes the spread of the disease, not its severity, and watch the news.
Fear is normal. We are all afraid, even as experts acknowledge that there are so many things about this outbreak that we don’t know yet.
Just don’t let fear dominate you. You may have to live with this virus for a while, but remember that this epidemic will disappear as with all the epidemics that have appeared on this planet.