Panic doesn’t help

With the coronavirus spreading throughout the U.S., Americans are reacting in a variety of ways. Some of them are smart, others . . . not so much.

Hoarding enormous quantities of toilet paper, crates of bottled water or five-year supplies of hand sanitizer as if the end is nigh is irrational and unhelpful to your fellow citizens. For one thing, public health experts say the best way to clean germy hands is to wash them with soap and water. It could also be counterproductive to deny hand sanitizer to others, who could use it to avoid spreading the infection to you. And even though the virus isn’t going away tomorrow, medicine to treat coronavirus infections is expected in the coming months. A vaccine could be ready sometime next year.

And then there are simply idiotic and selfish reactions, such as stealing stocks of medical facemasks from hospitals and research facilities, as has been reported in the United States.

As testing ramps up after a troubling delay, the number of confirmed cases will most likely rise quickly. Same with the global death toll. As this happens, people need to hold their panic level in check. This means:

Not buying into “miracle cures,” such as the drinkable silver concoction that televangelist Jim Bakker has been hawking.

Showing compassion, rather than distrust and disdain, for those who are infected or are self-quarantining to protect the rest of us.

With the stock market seesawing and our usual work or school routines disrupted, it may feel a bit like the end of the world as we know it. It’s not, and we should act accordingly.