Coronavirus Derangement Syndrome
As Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spreads throughout the United States, many have come to terms with the extent to which we should be worried. Who is concerned is clear to most because they have begun to distance themselves socially and take other precautions like wearing a mask. However, others have remained highly skeptical that we need to make major changes like shut down most of the economy just to reduce the spread of a virus.
Among those who have expressed skepticism is the president of the United States, Donald Trump. He was even skeptical long before the pandemic began. So skeptical, in fact, that he disbanded the US’ pandemic unit in 2018. If you can’t yet tell, “skepticism” as it was used above is a euphemism for “denial.”
Not a whole lot more than ignorance and lies have been forwarded by the president since the beginning of the spread of COVID-19. To start, Trump has repeatedly asserted that we “cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself.” In our extravert-dominant society, many who already want to go out will take the words of a man that they trust to heart and spread the virus further — leading to even more deaths than are already inevitable.
President Trump has also downplayed the virus by stating that if the economic shutdown continues, depression and suicide rates will be higher than the death rate of the virus. When the number of suicides in 2017 was only 47,000 (compared to a COVID-19 projection of 100,000 to 240,000 deaths), that is highly unlikely. The president has also called the virus a “hoax,” compared it to the common flu and even after all of that, continues to pretend he has “always viewed [COVID-19] as very serious.”
Donald Trump isn’t the only seemingly authoritative source of misinformation though. Many mainstream news sources downplayed the virus early on, including The Washington Post, The Associated Press, The National Post, and Time Magazine. The worst of which, of course, is Fox News, who repeated many of the same lies that President Trump spewed. At a time when on a daily basis, known cases are skyrocketing, hospitals are filling up and the number of deaths is growing, this is not what the public should be hearing from their leaders and news organizations.
It’s important to understand something else that we have been misled about by officials and authorities such as the CDC and WHO. Unlike what is currently recommended, we SHOULD be wearing masks — all of us. In one study of 143 households, those who wore masks decreased their daily risk of respiratory illness by 60 to 80 percent. And, of course, masks prevent the virus from spreading if you’re unknowingly sick yourself. Homemade masks are less effective but are still worth using.
Why mislead the public about something that is essential to know in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19? Because there is a shortage of masks and healthcare workers need them much more than the general public. But many of our world leaders would rather mislead us than tell us that they weren’t prepared for a pandemic that was predicted years ago.
If you or somebody you live with has symptoms (shortness of breath, fever, dry cough, etc.), it is strongly recommended by relevant experts that you stay home. Furthermore, experts urge people to work from home if possible and to reduce if not eliminate trips to any public areas for the time being. Finally, since symptoms don’t onset for a median of five days after contracting the virus, it is especially important to wear a mask.
April is not going to be a pretty month. But if we care whatsoever about our kids, spouses, family and fellow human beings, we need to continue social distancing and practicing effective hygiene. We can get through this, even in an age of Coronavirus Derangement Syndrome. Let us all be as optimistic as realism allows.
