80 percent of people who are infected with the corona virus develop only mild symptoms. 20 percent become more seriously ill and a much smaller proportion die.
Immunity problem
This mainly concerns the elderly or people with an immunity problem, diabetics or patients with cardiovascular diseases. Healthy people on average do not have much fear of the corona virus.
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“Whether it will turn out to be 0.1 percent, 1 percent or 1.2 percent, the mortality rate is not so bad,” says Snijder. “In terms of size, the new coronavirus can best be compared to the classic flu.”
Apply the brakes
But now that the tone has been set, says the professor, it seems rather difficult to return to the question: is it all that serious? “The balance must be kept between the social and economic impact of measures and the actual risk of the disease. The media play an important role in this, but experts could also put a brake on it more often.”
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Do not panic: that is also what the director of the Italian RIVM advises the Italian newspaper La Repubblica. In an interview, Maria Rita urges Gismondo to calm down. “Images of extinct streets and ambulances with screaming sirens cause unnecessary panic. The amount of anti-virus measures seems exaggerated. Sometimes we seem to be at war, but there is no question of that.”
Wash hands
It is important to wash your hands against spreading the virus, she says. it’s not that hard. “The tap is near the toilet.”
Gismondo expects the coronavirus to be over quickly. It is possible that the problem will decrease temporarily in a few months, says Snijder. “The chance that it will decrease is realistic. We can see that with other viruses too. But a return in the following winter cannot be ruled out. But then the first vaccines might be available to further reduce the problem.”
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