The Superior Express -

Hey, you out there buying all the toilet paper rolls, wearing face masks and filling your shelves with bottles of hand sanitizers, let’s not panic! The news media is broadcasting moment by moment reports of the latest Coronavirus happenings. Maps of the U.S. are showing which states have reported positive Coronavirus testing results. These media maps are as confusing as the ones showing the 2020 election survey findings.

The recent stock market drop was first blamed on the Coronavirus but now declining oil prices are also being blamed. Travel and hospitality businesses are losing business because people do not want to take a chance being exposed to the Coronavisrus in their travels. There are even warnings about popping bubble wrap as most of it is made in China and that is where the virus originated. With many imported products coming from China or the far East perhaps we need to be careful in our choice of things to purchase.

Nobody wants to get the flu but how many people chose not to get their flu shots? When a vaccine comes out to combat the Coronavirus, how many will make use of it?

Will people staying home from the work in an effort to avoid contact with others? Are the schools going to close their doors? Are we going to attend a family funeral? There is even talk of not allowing fans to attned the March Madness basketball games. Perhaps they will just be televised.

Sure we can do as we are told and cover our mouths when we cough, use the elbow bump instead of the hand shake, forget those hugs and not touch our faces, but honestly how many people will do that? Of course, we are told to wash our hands but I’d like to know who hasn’t been doing that all along?

I guess they are saying there is more to it than just simply washing our hands, as we need to wash our hands for at least 20 seconds. Yes, we need to time our hand washing cycle. It has been suggested we make use of those 20 seconds by memorizing Scripture or repeating the Lord’s Prayer. Now what better use can be made of that 20 seconds?

Are we overacting or is the panic warranted? I remember the words of President Franklin Roosevelt, “The only thing to fear is fear itself.”