, Columnist
Coronavirus Complacency Arrives Ahead of Schedule
First the media sold you overblown fears. Now it's selling false comfort.
A mask is just one way to prepare.
Photographer: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Scientific models show a reasonably high probability that the Wuhan coronavirus will accelerate in its spread outside of China. That’s concerning, to say the least. But even as the news gets darker, the tone of news coverage is swinging the wrong way, offering too much false reassurance.
It’s extremely unlikely to turn into a nightmare scenario ripped from movies like Contagion. It isn’t an immediate threat to most people’s lives. But if it spreads widely as some credible estimates predict, the disease could still easily disrupt business and everyday life for millions of people.