Unknown???? (Corona Virus)

Really when you stop and consider what drives feelings of anxiety, it is actually a lack of information. The virus is new, and there remains many, many unanswered questions about the illness it causes. Most people have not had it, nor do they know any one who has. There is a feeling in the medical community that fact matters.

Even as confirmed cases increase, the more people learn, the better they feel. It is known who this virus affects. We know how it spreads. We know who is more vulnerable and who is less vulnerable.

Not everyone reacts to epidemics the same way. There are some who are cautious, washing their hands for the time it takes to count to ten (10). Others are stockpiling food and medicine as if an apocalypse is around the corner. When news is mixed you are at liberty to choose to focus on the good or the bad. The good news is, for most people, that the illness caused by the virus is generally mild and the flu-like symptoms of fever and cough do not last very long. However, the bad news is the virus is highly contagious, and there is no real vaccine. The elderly and those with compromised immune systems or chronic diseases can become very sick and even die.

Whether you fixate on the good or the bad has a great deal to do with who you are. There are those among us who are concerned about illness, disease, they feel a increased sense of their own mortality. They are focused more on the bad news side of the messaging and having a harder time processing the good news side. The concept of bad news/good news can cause people to feel as though they are getting mixed messages. Reports say most people who contract the corona virus experience symptoms similar to the flu. Then people read stories about the National Guard assisting with quarantine containment. If the risk to most people is mild to moderate symptoms, why does it appear as if the world is shutting completely down?