With each passing hour, there are new reports about the novel coronavirus.
We still know little about this infectious disease, so it’s hard to separate fact from fiction when we’re reading the news.
One thing that helped me improve my understanding was The New York Times’ podcast on the topic. They speak with Donald G. McNeil, who has been writing about epidemics and pandemics for the past 30 years. He puts coronavirus into perspective by comparing it with the seasonal flu, and with historical events like the Spanish flu of 1918.
I’ve also found Worldometer’s live statistics to be an insightful view into the absolute and relative spread of the disease.
To be honest, it feels weird to be writing about coronavirus. But it also feels weird to ignore it. Its potential impact on humanity is undeniable, and one of my daily blogging rules is to notice and write about what’s going on around me. So here I am being true to that rule.
I’m not qualified to have an opinion, but it’s clear that coronavirus has already devastated communities, and is something we should at least be mentally prepared for in the event of a worst case scenario.