In the last 2 weeks, we have heard just about every opinion possible on the Wuhan Coronavirus (COVID-19, or CoVirus for short). World leaders have held hundreds of press conferences, followed by numerous governors and other FaceBook pundits.
The initial reports on COVID-19 were nonstop, and they were all bad, followed by a mishmash of panic, punditry, and poignant propositions. To help sort through the hysteria, we have assembled some facts regarding the virus situation.
What We Know About the Coronavirus outbreak:
COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China. It is the result of human interaction with unclean animals, likely bats. Five of the last deadly viruses have come from China and their heathen consumption of ‘food’ sold at wet markets. China’s recent history of what are known as zoonotic infections — viruses, bacteria and parasites that spread between animals and humans — has raised serious questions about public-health practices in the world’s most populous country. It has also raised questions about China’s ability to tell the truth.
Early reports that Coronavirus has a 3.4% mortality rate is inflated. New research indicates that a more accurate rate is around 1—1.6%.
The national news media made this problem a hundred times worse. As stated, initial reports based on the 3.4% were nonstop, and they were all predicting disaster. Panic ensued. Nearly everyone agrees that there is big panic—and way too much of it!
As of this writing, 244k people worldwide have gotten the Co-Virus (my word) and 10,031 have died (.04). For comparison purposes, 22,000 people died from the seasonal flu in America during this winter of 2019—2020.
These ‘experts’ who are on TV every day telling us what not to do might do well to hole themselves up in a room and crunch some numbers. That way, when our elected officials all but declare something akin to martial law, we will have good reason to listen.
Bickering politicians in Washington contributed to the panic by damaging people’s confidence in their national leaders.
Skewed numbers are driving panic, and the panic is driving lockdown, and the lockdowns are taking us into uncharted waters. Freedoms are being hastily taken away from Americans, leading to the question “How many (freedoms) will they (the government) be willing to give back?” Probably not as many as they took away.
A Stanford University professor makes a compelling case for gathering data before initiating social and economic Armageddon. Is he right? We think so.
The one closed-population example we have is the Diamond Princess cruise ship. The fatality rate on that ship was 1.0% (Dr. John Ionnadis). 7 Fatalities out of 700 infections.
Claims that common flu has a mortality rate of .01% is skewed. According to one interesting source—analyzing the WHO’s own website, the mortality rate of seasonal flu is much higher (almost 10%).
The Covid-19 virus is fragile, it doesn’t like heat. We will soon learn if warmer temperatures in the northern hemisphere help to kill this intruder. We hope so! Begone with ye!
The recent surreal market volatility, combined with an equally unsettling vibe out on the streets (and in the grocery store aisles), is certainly something that we will all remember and be talking about for a long time to come. It may take years, perhaps decades, to fully understand the consequences of these lockdown decisions – both financial and sociological. In other words, have we fired a Howitzer at the problem when a .22 would do?
When this problem ends—and it will end—there are two possible outcomes. If the draconian lockdowns were deemed effective, they will become a precedent for every future bug scare (people are getting more fearful). If the lockdowns are deemed to be ineffective, over-zealous politicians will say “We should have done even more!”
Ramifications For the Time of the End
People are becoming more willing to exchange freedoms for security. That is a characteristic marker of the end times.
Right now, people in affected countries are scared and panicking, exhibiting behaviours such as hoarding of essential supplies — which only exacerbates the atmosphere of anxiety and fear. There are also growing cases of xenophobia which point towards greater polarization in society. Get this—further disintegration of societal structures is being urged as a way to combat climate change.
Never one to let a crisis go to waste, climate alarmists are praising the unprecedented, wartime-esqe measures to combat COVID-19 as a pattern that should be extended to fight climate change. Some of them even resent the draconian response to the virus, saying “This should have been done to fight global warming.”
Environmentalist alarmists are already praising the shutdowns of Italy, parts of China, and the United States as making the earth cleaner again, placing economic catastrophe upon their terra firma altar as an offering to their earth mother deity.
We are praying for all those affected by the coronavirus. If we can pray for you and your needs specifically, please let us know, in the comment section below.
“Fear not little flock, it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
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“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:29-31).