People have responded to the rise of the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, as they have with other pandemics: in a calm, rational way.
Just kidding! Stores are selling out of groceries, hand sanitizer, and face masks — even though those surgical masks won’t keep you from getting the virus.
The masks that will help should be reserved for medical professionals who really need them. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend the everyday use of respirators. Instead, it suggests “everyday preventive actions to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, such as avoiding people who are sick, avoiding touching your eyes or nose, and covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue.”
With numbers including a global death toll of over 3,000, six deaths in the United States, and over 92,000 people affected worldwide, the coronavirus is, reasonably, causing alarm. Most of those who die from the disease, however, are elderly and have preexisting conditions. If those circumstances do not apply to you and you have not been diagnosed with COVID-19, breathe easier, and take these pieces of nonprofessional advice:
Do not buy a mask.
A surgical mask will not save you from contracting the virus, but a medical respirator or an N95 mask will. However, the CDC says this type of mask “is recommended only for use by healthcare personnel (HCP) who need protection from both airborne and fluid hazards (e.g., splashes, sprays).” You don’t need a mask, but you do need to stop touching your face.
Do not buy up half the grocery store.
Reports of long lines at grocery stores and empty shelves have confirmed that people are more than a little panicked about the coronavirus. But odds are you’ll still be able to go out in public for some time, so there’s no harm in buying perishable goods or holding off on buying a dozen cans of chicken noodle soup. And yes, you can still buy Corona beer.
— Alan He (@alanhe) February 29, 2020
Do buy hand sanitizer — but not all of it.
To keep germs at bay, the CDC recommends an “alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60% to 95% alcohol.” As stores are running out of hand sanitizer, searches for “how to make hand sanitizer” have spiked online. The DIY method is a pretty simple solution — that is, until stores also start selling out of aloe vera and rubbing alcohol.
Do not politicize it.
No, this is not “Trumpvirus.” At least two New York Times columnists have adopted the nickname, but as annoying as it is for political narratives, you can’t blame the spread of a virus based out of China on President Trump. This is no excuse to punish Chinese expats either. You can still safely go to Chinese restaurants and enjoy your chow mein.
