Oh No Panic

This COVID-19 Chinese virus -- now reaching pandemic status -- is being blown way out of proportion by the biased media.  The media/Democrats are politicizing this new virus spreading across the globe as a last-ditch effort to get rid of President Trump and put one of their weasels in office.

It's absolutely sickening what the rabid media and Democrats are willing to do for political gain.  They are basically causing so much panic in the general public that society is shutting down.  All sporting events are being canceled or played without fans.  Religious gatherings including Sunday services are being canceled or pared down. Medical facilities are closing down entrances and only letting those in who pass their test.  They're even taking people's temperatures at the door.  Nobody is shopping or going out to eat. The stock market is crashing.  People are panic buying toilet paper (weird), hand sanitizer, masks, etc. School concerts and all extracurricular activities are being canceled.  Colleges and universities have shut down and are only online now.  The list goes on and on.  It's absolutely ridiculous!

First of all this COVID-19 (which stands for COrona VIrus Disease and 19 stands for the year it was discovered) is not nearly as virulent as many of the recent pandemics we've experienced.  Remember SARS, MERS, Ebola virus, swine flu, bird flu, etc.? Mortality rates are much higher in many of those infectious diseases, yet we never had the panic in this country that we are experiencing now with this particular coronavirus.

Granted we are still in the early stages of the pandemic in this country, but it is still a miniscule number compared to other outbreaks.  For example, remember the swine flu of 2009-2010?  According to the CDC 60.8 million people in the United States were infected with swine flu. 274,304 were hospitalized.  And 12,469 died. Yet, you probably barely remember it.  It's because Obama was in office and the media treated him like a king. They did not blame Obama for the swine flu.  There was no widespread panic caused by the media.

Compare those numbers to the most recent numbers available for COVID-19.  As of this very minute, according to Johns Hopkins University there are 127,863 worldwide cases of COVID-19 infection. 1,323 of which are in the United States.  Total deaths worldwide total 4,718.  39 of which are in the United States.  30 of those are in Washington State and  23 of those were at one nursing care facility in Kirkland.

Now, I'm not saying that this won't get worse.  Obviously it will.  But those are such tiny numbers to be causing such panic and wreaking such havoc on society.  People don't panic every year like this during flu season and shut everything down.  Yet every year the common yearly influenza virus infects millions and kills tens of thousands in the United States. I looked at the statistics from last year.  "CDC estimates that influenza was associated with more than 35.5 million illnesses, more than 16.5 million medical visits, 490,600 hospitalizations, and 34,200 deaths during the 2018–2019 influenza season."

This happens every year people.  There is no panic every year.  This is part of life.  Infectious diseases are part of life.  Learn hygiene, do what you can to avoid becoming infected and infecting others.  But live your life.  Don't panic.  This is absolutely ridiculous what's going on.

Now I just read that our governor here in Washington just ordered that all public schools in King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties will be closed from March 17 through April 27.  Unbelievable.

This is really getting out of hand.  I could completely understand this if COVID-19 was an extremely virulent viral infection with a high mortality rate.  But it isn't.  It is on par with the average influenza virus.

Like I just said, infectious diseases are part of life.  There will always be a new outbreak of infectious disease.  There will always be a new pandemic every year or two.  We have all been taught from the time we were little how to deal with and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.  Wash your hands, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, avoid going out in public when you are sick.  Etc. but life goes on.

The media is really doing a disservice to society by politicizing this virus and causing such unnecessary panic and disruption to our country.  Not only is it extremely irresponsible.  But it is downright cruel to cause such fear and panic in the general public -- all in the name of politics.  Absolutely disgraceful.

That's my two cents.