I am by no means a medical professional, and have made a point of avoiding most of the propaganda surrounding the Coronavirus and COVID-19 viral outbreak. But since returning to South Korea where the number of reported cases now exceeds 5,000 it is nearly impossible to avoid succumbing to the mass paranoia.

In a single day, I will receive multiple Governmental texts updating me on the locations of new cases, essentially informing me of the geographical spread. Face masks have disappeared from shelves, businesses have closed. The streets have emptied of people, as everyone hides behind a self-imposed quarantine.

Which for me, feels mildly ridiculous. Yes, this virus is highly contagious. Yes, people have died as a result of it. But in terms of fatality rates, the Coronavirus and COVID-19 are relatively low in comparison to the multitude of other viruses and diseases that people can and do contract every single day.

So unless you have a pre-existing medical condition, or a weakened immune system that would put you in a higher risk bracket, there is no reason to be scared. Fear is infectious, and oftentimes more debilitating than the thing you are afraid of. It cannot and should not be allowed to govern your life, because as long as you are alive, you are susceptible to death. Every time you walk out your door, you put yourself at risk.

This is no different.

Yet, even in the small remote town of Jangsu with a population of 26,000, you will be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t worried. For me, the only worry on my mind is what will happen if the spread of the virus continues, forcing an airport closure similar to that of the Hubei province. For me, the biggest concern is whether or not I will be able to return home at the end of my contract in two months time.

Minor things, that others may shake their heads and laugh at. Because despite everything I have said until this point, this virus is serious in so far as how it effects the social and economic structure of our communities.

But, like all viruses we have seen throughout our history, it will eventually run its course.

People get sick.

But they also get better.