But I alternate between feeling embarrased about my own nervousness when I hear the over-the-top ranters (who sort of shame me by reflecting my own fears back at me in extreme form), and feeling less-than-fully-reassured by the authorities declaring that it's all under control and/or no worse than flu.
It's totally reasonable to feel nervous, I don't think there's anything to be embarrassed about with regard to that. I have a young child at home and I'm nervous about her getting seasonal sick (flu, RSV, etc) not to mention Covid-19. I just don't let it get the best of me or force me into irrational actions.
The biggest doubt I have about it, is the question of what proportion of people who are infected by this, end up being hospitalised, and in turn what proportion need intensive care? If it spreads widely, even if the fatality rate is less than the presumably extremely-unreliable estimate of 2%, just how much strain is it going to put on the medical system?
With appropriate preparation, I suspect the advanced (using this term broadly) Healthcare systems of countries like the UK, the US, etc will do fine and I have no reason to expect inappropriate preparation.
Also, Iran's reported figures seem seriously implausible. They officially only have a little over 100 cases, but admit to nearly 20 deaths and Infected Iranians keep popping up across the middle-east in other countries' figures. To me, it seems that if it's spread to your deputy health minister, you've probably got more than 139 cases in the country.
This is the biggest problem we have right now in evaluating the epidemiology.. Our data is garbage. We probably won't have an accurate mortality rate until this is all over, just the way it works.
