For What It's Worth - My Take on The Kung Flu

Just when I thought the world was already nuts, it's gone totally whackobananas.  The Kung Flu has totally taken over - not as a disease, but as a panic.  Here's what I know and what I think...

COVID-19 is not THE coronavirus.  It's A coronavirus.  So is the common cold. 

It's less lethal and less contagious than the flu.

Tom Hanks has it.  He got it while he was filming in Australia (as in totally not here), he's still there and self-quarantined, and he and Rita have mild cases of it.  From the statement he had his son read, it seems like they're in good spirits, despite the Kung Flu.

Most people who get it will have a mild case of it. 

They say the hardest hit will be the old, the infirm, and the young.  (Although I haven't seen stats on children getting it and dying from it, so I'm not sure there.)

Most of the people who have died from it in Washington state were old and were from the same nursing home.  (19 out of 28) 

Italy is getting hit harder than most countries because 1) 22% of their population is over the age of 65, and 2) the region where the most people are dying has had a huge influx of Chinese and has direct flights to the Wuhan area, and 3) they have very liberal immigration policies.  You know 'open borders' and shit. 

The way to combat it is with normal everyday 'I don't want to get the flu' procedures - washing your hands, etc.  If you're old or infirm, take extra precautions.  Everyone else?  Carry on with your lives.  Except where the panic means you can't.  You know, if you need toilet paper, or have to travel, or have tickets to an event.  (They cancelled the Players Championship this morning.  Bastards.  I didn't have tickets, but I was looking forward to watching it this weekend.)

The liberal culture seems to be egging this whole panic thing on.  And they're actively celebrating the hits our country is taking to its economy.  Personally, the hits to our economy scare me far more than the Kung Flu. 

I think our President is handling this correctly, given the panic. 

I think the fact that our culture adores zombies and apocalypses in its fiction is making the panic worse, and has given rise to a strange mindset where something pretty basic has turned into a global freak out.  This is not THE STAND people.  Even Stephen King says so*.

All of the normal people I've talked to aren't panicking.  They might be washing their hands or using hand sanitizer more than normal or than is needed, but generally, they're just pissed about the lack of toilet paper on the store shelves. 

Yeah, I could be wrong.  Tell ya what, if I get the Kung Flu and die from it, you can say 'I told you so'.  If I get it, I'll probably be miserable and a total bitch, but considering I'm a fairly healthy gal who's already pretty much a hermit, I'm not worried about dying.  What I am worried about is the economy failing and throwing us into a Depression.  (Yeah, they're talking Recession, but I always think of the worst.) 

You know, I don't even know anyone who has it - in person or online - or have even heard of anyone who knows anyone who has it. 

Anyway, hang in there.  Keep calm and carry on as best you can amidst the panic. 

* To which some moron on Twitter replied, "How would you know?  Have you even read the book?"