The coronavirus keeps the world in suspense – in the truest sense of the word. It is not yet clear what damage it will do. And some still underestimate the situation. A comment by Frank Stüdemann.
The Science and Politics of the Coronavirus Outbreak
Since January, the DPA news agency has sent more than 70 breaking news on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak – 11 of them yesterday alone. You can hardly keep up with all aspects of the health crisis: canceled events en masse, major sporting events in front of empty spectator stands, travel restrictions, aid from the federal government. The whole scenario threatens the global financial crisis and signs of recession are underway.
Investors are selling stocks almost immediately causing chaos in the financial market. The crash is unsettling causing many small businesses to slowly collapse. In response to this sudden shake in the financial market, the government is coming together to provide small business loans (https://moneylendingclub.com/) in order to cope up with huge losses.
The mantra remains: all the restrictions and precautions have only one goal, that is to contain the spread of Sars-CoV-2 as well as possible to protect the weakest among us. It does not get any easier because everyone can transmit the virus without realizing it and showing symptoms. Therefore – it cannot be said often enough – everyone must put the welfare of the community above their own state of mind.
If the whole virus drama has anything good at all, it is at most that it shows us how vulnerable our globalized world is in reality. Microscopic tiny things are able to destroy supply chains, stock exchange prices and oil prices in the world within a few weeks Send basements and ruin the balance sheets of even large companies. But the viral hurricane will also have other consequences: Politicians like US President Donald Trump could be swept out of their positions after poor crisis management and persistent small talk of the situation.
The crisis calls for leaders to set aside politics. The people don’t need that today. What the people need is a solution to the spreading problem, help to those affected, and the right information for people to properly protect themselves. People in the position must control false information from spreading out so as not to trigger panic and unnecessary worry.
We need the public to be informed, to irradicate fear, and to trust that this virus will be resolved. Halt the spread with proper hygiene and sanitation which is really easy to say but hard to do for many ordinary citizens. But everyone has to do their part and that’s what this world needs now.