Panic over coronavirus? Not me…

Even with the confirmation of SA’s first case of the coronavirus on Thursday, I am not as panic-stricken as I should be about how much of an effect this outbreak could have on me personally.

In fact, most of my fake panic is reserved solely for online banter with people who are genuinely concerned about the impact of this virus.

So concerned are my fellow South Africans that they have depleted face mask and hand sanitiser stocks in pharmacies countrywide. Additionally, they have become coronavirus experts, extolling the virtues of good hygiene online and monitoring the global movements of the virus in an effort to predict where it will pop up next.

And still, they weren’t able to forsee on Thursday: SA’s first case of Covid-19.

As people who have been concerned about what many believe could become the world’s next great pandemic, it’s only natural that they are moved by the announcement.

When I first heard about the virus more than a month ago, I thought back to an episode of Netflix’s Explained series that I watched last year titled The Next Pandemic.

The show’s producers and research team spoke to a number of experts to unpack the concept of pandemics before postulating that the world’s next pandemic was imminent and that it would most probably be flu-like.

According to the show, their main motivation for exploring the topic was the fact that pandemics are “the next likely thing to end the world” as they always kill millions across the globe and change civilisations.

In recent history, viruses such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars), H5N1 (Avian Flu) and Zika have wreaked havoc on global populations and economies – but they seem to have been all but forgotten.

Though we live (and have for a long time) in a world where HIV/Aids killed and continues to affect so many, the panic many felt about contracting the disease also seems to have dissipated.

Granted, antiretroviral medication and other interventions such as PrEP and PEP (pre and post-exposure prophylaxis), as well as global multibillion-dollar awareness drives over the years may have been a contributing factor.

However, there has been a recent resurgence in laissez faire attitudes towards sex and sexual health.

And I do believe the coronavirus panic will eventually suffer the same fate.

The collective concern of my fellow South Africans has also seen the department of health come under fire for its competence in the event that it needs to deal with this disease – but the same was said in the early days of the HIV and Aids pandemic.

Despite the constant criticism and general lack of insight on the part of the public into the work government is doing in the fight against HIV/Aids, public health soldiers on and has made some serious strides in this regard.

So forgive me for not hoarding face masks and hand sanitiser. I have more pressing issues to be concerned about.

If anything, I’m more concerned about the global economic impact of the disease than I am about my chances of contracting it.

Kaunda Selisho.

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