Coronavirus VS Fear

As we may know that coronavirus or COVID-19

spreading much rapidly outside China. But, there is
something dangerous more than the disease itself. That is
overblown fear. After an outbreak in some countries such
as South Korea, Italy, and America, the public becomes more aware of the situation
they might deal with. But the exaggerated awareness has become a new problem.

WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that coronavirus risk at a

global level. Almost every newspaper, radio, TV programs have back-to-back
coverage on the latest death toll. Every social platform shows how dangerous this
spreading virus is and filled with frightening statistics. This constant bombardment
can result in heightened anxiety, with immediate effects on our mental health. Fear
has lead our moral judgment toward another.

In many countries, supermarkets and grocery stores ran out of stock as a result
of this pandemic. People were forced to stay at home for several days, so they have
to prepared with emergency supplies and causes panic buying. Panic buying reflects
a lack of empathy among the rich for the poor. there are two psychological factors
behind this, one is scarcity, and two is control. Buyers feel out of control about many
aspects of the pandemic, but they do have control when they choose to stock up on
things. Steven Taylor, a professor, and clinical psychologist said that irrational
stockpiling can also lead to price gouging. But scarcity makes everything seems
valuable more than usual, it leads them to buy, as regretting buying too much not as
concerning as regret of buying too little.

The panic, driven by fear, ought to be replaced

with a passion for a better life for the planet and its
people. We need to be calm and stay cautious though
this pandemic to survive. Because we will be judged
not only by survived or not but also by how we
survived it.