Could the current coronavirus pandemic be the end of the world? In conversations with many of my friends that is a distinct impression. They don't come out and directly say that but based on all of their negativity and associated fear, it is a distinct impression. How would we know if that were the case? First, let's take a look at the symptoms as compared to other similar diseases encountered by the general population.
Using the chart above, we can see COVID-19 has two common symptoms, fever and cough. the rest of the symptoms either don't occur or occur occasionally. The other three illnesses share most of the symptoms found with COVID-19 either regularly or occasionally. This makes it rather difficult for the average lay person to determine whether he/she is sick with COVID-19 or one of the other illnesses. Complicating the self-diagnosis is the fact the symptom onset is gradual making it easy to convince yourself it is nothing serious. However, with all of the dire predictions surrounding COVID-19 it has led to panic among a large portion of the population.
So what is it that is causing this panic? One reason is the name "novel coronavirus". Novel as interpreted for us by supposed experts and the media means unknown. Is it an unknown virus? Not really. It is a member of a family of viruses known as corona viruses for the characteristics displayed under a high powered (electron) microscope or other high powered imaging device. Looking down on the virus it looks a bit like a crown. Other members of the corona virus family include SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), both of which came to light in the last two decades. Each of which also caused some panic but never reached proportions to be called a pandemic. COVID-19 has symptoms very similar to SARS and MERS which lead to ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome), meaning the lungs become compromised and it becomes difficult to obtain sufficient oxygen. It is not as if the world has encountered something totally new or "novel" as they would have us believe. The virus family was known to us and the symptoms produced, as well as outcome, were known. Not really anything I believe should lead to world wide panic.
Consider the flu, the illness with symptoms most resembling COVID-19. For the 2019-2020 flu season the CDC estimates can be found here. As can be seen, for the US alone, the number of cases, medical visits, hospitalizations and deaths far exceed any of the numbers being seen with COVID-19 in the same time period for the entire world. So why is everyone in such a panic over COVID-19 and not so much over the flu? I have heard medical experts answer this question stating, "we know how to protect ourselves against the flu". Really? Then why have there been 23,000 to 59,000 deaths this season alone? I am convinced when the current crisis comes to an end, the numbers will be much lower than the flu, which we deal with every year.
We are completely changing our way of life. Which could have a positive impact on future flu seasons and that would be a good thing. What is not good is the over reaction on the part of supposed experts and our politicians, not to mention the media. They have created the perfect storm to allow themselves to move forward with agendas they were struggling to find traction on. Social agendas, they now can push for universal health care, take over of the entire health care system, take over of manufacturing of medical equipment and supplies. Given the panic in the general population no one complains. Politicians are acquiring more and more power to direct our lives. Instead of government getting smaller, it is getting larger and large. All while saddling us, our children, our grandchildren and most likely their children with a debt burden that will make it impossible for them to enjoy the comforts we have enjoyed for so many years.