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Coronavirus Is the New Y2K

 
Article by Paula Bolyard in "PJMedia":

At CPAC, everyone—and I mean everyone—was talking about the coronavirus plague epidemic outbreak, and while there was some talk about the actual virus (and speculation about what might happen if we all got quarantined at the Gaylord hotel) most of the discussion centered on the near-hysterical media coverage. All the cable networks, including Fox, have been running with wall-to-wall stories about the spread of the virus here and abroad, describing it in apocalyptic terms with their very, very serious voices.

Does anyone remember the ZOMGWEAREALLGOINGTODIE coverage in the media during the run-up to Y2k? Remember how all the talking heads spun that "crisis" up to be the end of the world as we knew it? There was a run on generators and other survival gear, and a whole cottage industry grew up around fears of an apocalypse. We were told that not only would all our computers be rendered obsolete, but banks would collapse, the power grid would fail, the supply chain would be paralyzed, and armed citizens would be forced to roam the countryside in search of food for their families.

While all that would make for a good doomsday Netflix series, in reality, there was no crisis and Y2K, for the most part, turned out to be a giant nothingburger. Many people working in IT at the time, including my husband, who was hired specifically to work on Y2K compliance, tried to tell us that this was going to be no big deal. (He was so un-worried about Y2k that we dropped the kids off at the grandparents' on New Year's Eve and went to a concert that night.)

Charlie Martin reminded me yesterday that the same thing happened in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear accident. Some in the media predicted a disaster of Chernobyl proportions. To date there has been only one death (from cancer) attributed to the event.

History seems to be repeating itself as the media works overtime to convince us that a global pandemic is inevitable and that millions (billions?) are going to die as a result. While there's still a lot we don't know about how the virus spreads and who could be affected, the mortality rate is estimated to be around 1-2%, according to UK scientists, while in the U.S. the mortality rate for influenza and pneumonia this year has been nearly 7%. Most of the deaths from these illnesses hit the very old, the very young, those with pre-existing medical conditions, and those without access to Western medicine. While I would never want to minimize even a single death, perspective is needed.

A media-induced panic comes with risks of its own, as people overwhelm emergency rooms fearing they've contracted the coronavirus, overtaxing staff and draining resources.

By all means, take precautions — wash your hands often, try to avoid being around people who are ill, and stay home from work if you're sick to avoid spreading disease. It might also be a good idea to avoid the hysterical news coverage. Why put yourself through that? Stress isn't good for your health either, ya know.