Yesterday we talked about fear, which limits us in our ability to subdue our world even in corporate settings. We highlighted a few differences between leaders and managers, and the role of fear in how effective these people are in discharging their duties.
Today we want to look at fear a little more but with emphasis on the virus of fear. In this trying period of global coronavirus pandemic, one of my friends observed that the virus of fear is worse than the virus of corona. When people hear the number of deaths recorded so far, they panic, and panic-buy stuff. The society is saturated with the virus of fear and it is palpable. No thanks to the news media and no thanks to the unavoidable shut down and stay at home order.
If all you do is eat all the food you have panic-bought and watch the news as the death tolls go up by the minutes, you will be depressed. The virus of fear has increased the anxiety level in society to astronomical levels…that also is a problem.
The world already has enough problems and we don’t want you adding more to it. We are looking for solutions, and we will find solutions if we look hard and long enough.
As a public health epidemiologist let me tell you that the numbers you hear in the news don’t tell all the stories there are. I am not trying to down play the severity of corona but it has to be put in perspective. Every new or emerging disease devastates before it is contained. You can name any disease and do simple google search and see how many people it killed before the world figured it out. Recently we know about Ebola, SARS, even the almighty malaria, flu etc. I told us that God gave us the ability to subdue our world, and this coronavirus will not be different. If you look at the numbers they are high and scary but when you look at them as rates, then you put them in perspective. For example, how many people in the US are at risk of corona and how many people are diagnosed and/or how many people have died from it? That puts it in perspective. You understand?
We already had the virus of fear in society long before the virus of corona came around, and so beyond the virus of corona what is our plan for virus of fear in society and the vices that linger because of the virus of fear? Evil continues to thrive because good people keep quiet. Our society is out of alignment and there is no argument about it, but my concern is that we the people have become too taciturn in the face of deteriorating society and incompetent governance.
What happened to civil rights movements? Let’s look at Nigeria as a case study. Why can’t we hold our leaders to account? I am proud of but worried for the United States as she actively and gallantly fights corona virus and its vices, when corona hits Nigeria big time, what plan does the government have in place for the people? In the US, people have been on house quarantine and government is talking about stimulus package to buffer the effect of corona vices, government is providing materials and aggressively doing research and partnering with as well as fielding her best players in a concerted effort to annihilate and eradicate the unwanted corona visitor. We can see that something is being done to contain corona.
Hello Nigerians, what is the plan? China will not send you any hand sanitizers or toilet papers or even antiseptic hand soap. What is the plan? Tylenol is going on back order so india and China will not send you API or finished Tylenol, what is your plan? The airport is closed, I hope it is also closed for the likes of PMB and his cohort Alh Abba Kyari who was said to have tested positive to the corona. Which hospital will they fly out to? London is busy trying to contain the virus so I am not sure they will leave their own dying people to attend to clueless political leaders that have left there home front to dilapidate under their watch. How do you explain that Nigerians are happy their leaders are testing positive to corona? Isn’t it a shame?
But the virus of fear will not let us get together and kick these clueless men out of the corridors of power. So as you wash your hands, stay away from any crowd of any kind including church and mosque, close the gate of your house so you don’t entertain visitors for now….think about what we can do to regain our country back from the hands of charlatans..let this corona virus and the corona panic wake us up to the chronic vices of society. There is something we can do about it. We cannot explain to generations unborn that when corona hit, there was no single hospital in the country ready and equipped to challenge the vices of corona. The vices of corona are worse than the virus of corona.
Be safe folks Love and peace
Mezie Okolo is Public Health and Leadership Analyst @mezieokolo.com 03/28/2020