In a sorority meeting I attended this week, all the girls were talking about postponing their spring break and summer trip plans due to the outbreak of the infamous coronavirus.
I'm thinking to myself… why? It really isn't that serious?
Today, my mom calls me to ask about my summer plans. I had planned to go to Europe this summer with friends, and I had no intention of not going through with them. Yet, she tells me that this coronavirus is getting serious, and people she's talked with throughout the week have been saying the same things: p-o-s-t-p-o-n-e your plans.
She asked me if I've seen or read the news recently – which, to be completely honest, definitely not – and says she's really getting worried. I'm thinking to myself again, why are people freaking out about this?
There's been like 30 cases in the U.S. out of a billion people? Everyone is talking about it – you walk past people having a conversation and 9 times out of 10 they're either talking about voting or washing their hands.
Ultra, a music festival in Miami, Florida, announced today that they would be postponing the event amidst the very chaotic concerns. I'm supposed to be going to Coachella next month… or will that be postponed too?
So, I decided I wanted to do some research for myself.
According to a map on the coronavirus outbreak done by Foreign Policy, as of now, there have been 94,251 reported cases of coronavirus across the globe. Just over 3000 deaths. The majority of these have been in China: 80,270 cases, and 2981 deaths. South Korea, 5621 cases and 28 deaths. Iran, 2922 cases and 92 deaths. Strikingly, Italy ranks next, with 2502 cases and 78 deaths. The CDC has issued recommendations to avoid travel to these countries, with them ranking very high on the U.S. State Department's travel warnings.
However, what the numbers really show is the distribution of cases worldwide. While they are mostly concentrated in China, Iran, Europe, and somewhat the U.S., there has also been a low number of cases in over 70 countries. It seems as if the virus truly is spreading, and maybe we should be more careful.
Even though in most places, the number of cases is extremely low, it definitely is something to consider when arranging for travel plans. Airlines have suspended flights to certain locations and rearranged operations. It makes me sad to admit it, but my Europe trip might not be happening. However, I still think it is important to keep monitoring a situation like this. Outbreaks are often unpredictable, and sometimes unavoidable. It is crucial to keep checking health and government agencies if you're planning to travel in the near future, look into travel insurance plans or options, and maybe think twice about a cruise. According to Time, "David Abramson, a professor at New York University's School of Global Public Health says people should expect COVID-19 case numbers to increase and prepare accordingly." Instead of assuming it is nothing but a trending meme on twitter or a joke on snapchat about face masks, we may need to start re-considering the severity of a possible epidemic.
And wash your f*ucking hands!!!!!
