A Few simple words

Enjoy these few simple words that Ottavia just translated from an article in Italian written by the psychotherapist and doctor Alberto Pellai from Corriere della Sera:

https://www.corriere.it/cronache/20_febbraio_23/caro-bambino-ecco-perche-coronavirus-ci-fa-tanta-paura-ma-tu-non-devi-temere-13e9f8c8-5636-11ea-b447-d9646dbdb12a.shtml

“It’s a virus. It is invisible, that’s why it scares us so much. We living beings have always been afraid of what can hurt us and what cannot be seen. It happened to the caveman who went hunting for ferocious animals that were hidden in the forests. It is there that our brain has learned to ignite the emotion of fear. It gave us the ability to warn an unseen danger. It makes us feel alarmed when we still don’t have the danger ahead. So we are more prepared to face it when it comes before us.

Fear is like the ambulance siren that rings inside you. You feel it and warn you that something serious is about to happen. You have to rush to the hospital to prevent things from falling. The coronavirus today makes all the alarm sirens in the world ring. They constantly talk about it on television.

There are quieter people, others anxious, others very scared: and then there are people with strong nerves who are working day and night to combat this risk.

Unfortunately they suspended courses in the universities, closed gyms etc. It seems to be at war, it makes you think. And so you have a fear that is difficult to tame.

I can’t take that fear away, but I can tell you that while it is right to hear the alarm for something that threatens us, at the same time we must learn to take things in the right measure and for what they are.

It’s true: coronavirus is a new infection agent that is affecting humans for the first time. Before, it was present only in the body of some animals. It’s true: coronavirus has infected thousands of people in China and around the world and is now present in the nation where you also live. True, there are people infected with the coronavirus who have died.

However, having said that these are three truths that we all know, there are other truths that, in this climate of alarm, are told, but people catch much less. The infection has currently affected a very small number of people. The disease has localized in certain specific areas, called “focolai” of infection. When the area of ​​the outbreak was identified, the experts took all possible precautions not to let it out of there.

The disease produced by the coronavirus is similar to a flu. It makes you cough, sneeze, it gives fever. In many people the virus doesn’t even produce these symptoms. Only very few people fall ill with much more serious symptoms, such as pneumonia. To date, 2% of people with the virus have died. It means that of all the sick, unfortunately, one person out of 50 dies. And know that among the sick there are no young people. That is, it seems that those who are your age have a natural ability to resist the attack of the virus. Which therefore does not represent a real threat to young people.

Furthermore, consider that: in the places where there is an infection, there are thousands of people. Of those thousands, very few contract the infection, of those very few, only 1 in 50 dies. The fear you feel is a threat that has very little chance of affecting your life. But the whole world, just to prevent this from happening, is now working to prevent this infection from spreading. It is therefore essential that people are alerted and alarmed. Because in this way they perceive a risk and learn to do whatever it takes to prevent it from becoming a growing danger.

Scientists are working on finding a vaccine and a cure. At all times, the people who govern us are promoting laws to protect our health. In all hospitals, medical and paramedical staff is ready to treat people who will fall ill. And the sick are 98% likely to heal. Just as, at the moment, almost all of the population has excellent chances of not getting sick.

Prevention experts tell us to do a few things that are very important, the same as when you have the flu or you should do it anyway!: – if you feel like coughing and sneezing, do it in the elbow. In this way, not only the risk of spreading the coronavirus is reduced, but any other respiratory virus – wash your hands well – use paper towels and trash immediately – do not put your hands in your mouth, eyes etc”

 

Following these basic rules, we should just see how the situation is developing.

Probably the media will talk about it less and less in just a few weeks, like it happened with other “panic” situations in the past and everything will come back to normal.