The Virus

[AzJon]

Some quick statistics:

The annual flue has about a .1% mortality rate. The Spanish Flu of 1918, the most deadly pandemic of the modern age, killing around 500 million people worlwide (that we could count) was 2%. On the upper end the Coronavirus has a mortality rate similar to the Spanish Flu (or higher), but similar to the average flu on the lower end. The discrepancies between reporting from China and Iran are troubling. Partly because it may be worse than what is coming out. Iran went from hundreds of reported deaths via media to 50 from their health minister. Neither of these two countries are good at reporting things that make the political power look bad.

So far, the best advice is to use the same precautions you would against any other disease: cover your mouth when you cough/sneeze, avoid large group contact if possible, and wash your hands religiously.

Facemasks will be useless to the general population

Why?

Because they broadly do not create a seal strong enough to keep the virus out and the ones that do shouldn't be worn all day. They are really only for short-term use by healthcare providers that are in known and immediate proximity to the virus. Putting on one of those paper masks all day is a net danger for the wearer because they create a warm, humid environment near the mouth that can breed other bacteria and be just as problematic.

This PSA brought to you by spending way too much time researching epidemiology.