Riding the COVID-19 Storm Out

While the world is closed, explore the reasons not to panic.

Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, addresses a briefing on the latest information about the Coronavirus Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, in the James S. Brady Briefing Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)

Whether coronavirus, COVID-19, will permanently alter life in the U.S. and around the world remains to be seen.

It is almost certain we will all be washing our hands a great deal more. Will handshakes become a thing of the past? How many future meetings will become emails?

Telecommuting, erstwhile the territory of the tech industry and the gig economy has found new life in the wake of what President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency as of Friday.

This weekend, people are working from home and sheltering in place with their families as events, school, work, and religious services are all cancelled or postponed. Hopefully this will give everyone plenty of time to do a little digging just below the frightening headlines for the science news about the virus crisis.

There we can all find a deep, calming breath in the form of the many excellent reasons not to panic:

• In China, where the highest number of cases have been concentrated, the number of new cases has fallen significantly. Apple may have shuttered its stores in the U.S. as a precaution, but Apple factories in China have resumed business as usual.
• Most cases are mild, and the death rate is low. Estimates of the…