This organic reproduction is a model now for rapid adaptation of anything – viral message, video, meme. Also, of new product success. Or fashion emergence over a broad population or region.
Sickness, of course, is our current focus. From bat droppings in China to a vast population; exposed to illness which leads to death of some patients. This is the coronavirus. It is now an epidemic spreading to other nations and continents. If it continues rampant spread in each of its landing zones, it may very well become a pandemic. Now that’s a viral adaptation to note!
The illnesses spread in this manner cause absence from school, work and social events. That includes travel and entertainment venues. Social activities will be markedly less. With that comes economic impact. In most cases, illness is a small margin of impact. In an epidemic, the impact is much more.
In a pandemic, the impact is enormous. That’s noticeable. In a short span of time human activity is so changed it is noticed on a large scale. Obviously economic impact is substantial.
Today’s epidemic of coronavirus may soon be termed a pandemic. Because of that possibility, human reaction is to take cover, enact defenses, and – even without the pandemic label yet – affects the economy. Infects more likely.
Travel drops off. Business meetings are cancelled. Internet, Skype and Zoom applications take their place. Phone traffic and email transmissions soar. Documents are shared digitally and paper docs are eliminated entirely.
In person shopping drops off, schools are closed for a time, so too, businesses. Seeing this, stock markets are seen as vulnerable. Stock indexes drop off. Asset evaluations shift noticeably. Soon the weight of the epi-pandemic is viewed fully.
The viral happening can transform a society's routine to a stark reality. Life and death are real. Always has been. Two plus two makes four. Simple logic. Simple math.
Funny how some things sharpen our understanding of what’s important.
March 3, 2020
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