Six on Coronavirus: The beginning of the end? Don’t buy into the politics of fear; Why so many epidemics originate in Asia and Africa – and why we can expect more; Detailed Coronavirus Preparation Tips From A Renowned Pathologist; Corona Panic; Coro
panaritisp
And please don't forget to check out the pertinent images attached to every post
Thanks John and Gary
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"Population explosion and changing urban landscapes
An unprecedented shift in human population is one reason why more diseases originate in Asia and Africa. Rapid urbanization is happening throughout Asia and the Pacific regions, where 60% of the world already lives. According to the World Bank, almost 200 million people moved to urban areas in East Asia during the first decade of the 21st century. To put that into perspective, 200 million people could form the eighth most populous country in the world.
Migration on that scale means forest land is destroyed to create residential areas. Wild animals, forced to move closer to cities and towns, inevitably encounter domestic animals and the human population. Wild animals often harbor viruses; bats, for instance, can carry hundreds of them. And viruses, jumping species to species, can ultimately infect people.
Eventually, extreme urbanization becomes a vicious cycle: More people bring more deforestation, and human expansion and the loss of habitat ultimately kills off predators, including those that feed off rodents. With the predators gone – or at least with their numbers sharply diminished – the rodent population explodes. And as studies in Africa show, so does the risk of zoonotic disease
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The situation is only likely to get worse. A major proportion of East Asia’s population still lives in rural areas. Urbanization is expected to continue for decades."
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"Robb's other tips include:
- NO HANDSHAKING! Use a fist bump, slight bow, elbow bump, etc.
- Use ONLY your knuckle to touch light switches, elevator buttons, etc. Lift the gasoline dispenser with a paper towel or use a disposable glove.
- Open doors with your closed fist or hip - do not grasp the handle with your hand, unless there is no other way to open the door. Especially important on bathroom and post office/commercial doors.
- Use disinfectant wipes at the stores when they are available, including wiping the handle and child seat in grocery carts. ... "
This is the first global crisis in the social media age. What we’ve learned from social media in the last decade is that 1) information spreads fast, 2) false information spreads fastest because it’s more sensational, and 3) tribal identities are heightened when debates take place online vs. in person, so healthy debate quickly descends to a my-team-versus-yours battle. FDR said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” in an era when the only information source was a morning newspaper, edited and fact-checked by professionals, written by journalists who weren’t motivated by likes, retweets, or paid per click.
Uncertainty amid danger feels awful. So it’s comforting to have strong opinions even if you have no idea what you’re talking about, because shrugging your shoulders feels reckless when the stakes are high. Complex things are always uncertain, uncertainty feels dangerous, and having an answer makes danger feel reduced. We want firm answers when things are the most uncertain, which is when firm answers don’t really exist.
We’re not mentally prepared to think about widespread risk. Here’s German psychologist Gerd Gigerenzer in his book Risk Savvy:
People aren’t stupid. The problem is that our educational system has an amazing blind spot concerning risk literacy. We teach our children the mathematics of certainty—geometry and trigonometry—but not the mathematics of uncertainty, statistical thinking. And we teach our children biology but not the psychology that shapes their fears and desires. Even experts, shockingly, are not trained how to communicate risks to the public in an understandable way."
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Coronavirus case at CPAC brings outbreak closer to Trump, threatening to upend his routine amid reelection bid
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"HONG KONG — For a taste of what's in store for Americans, look to Hong Kong, where businesses have been enforcing work-from-home arrangements for six weeks because of coronavirus fears.
The social experiment of teleworking en masse has unearthed pitfalls, comical moments and potential opportunities. With the virus hitting the United States and Europe, millions more will probably need to crowd into homes with children and spouses while finding a way to stay productive.
Businesses in Hong Kong say the biggest challenge is getting staff to stay focused and on task. Terence Lin, who runs an online jewelry and used-car sales business, has repeatedly caught employees slacking off on social media and playing games during work hours.
“I can see that they keep logging into Facebook, posting photos on their stories, showing up on online games,” he said of his employees, who are scattered across Hong Kong and several Chinese cities. A favorite is “Wangzhe Rongyao,” or “Honor of Kings,” a multiplayer fantasy battle game based on historical Chinese heroes. “They are always online there, and they think I can’t see them!” Lin said."
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