You're surely aware of COVID-19 or Coronavirus, as it's most widely known. Still, allow us to share this brief summary:
There are several types of Coronaviruses, which have always been common among wild animals. However, one of them (named COVID-19) was recently transmitted to humans. The outbreak of this virus began in China at the end of December 2019, and spread quickly because, in simple terms, COVID-19 is easily transmitted like the flu and can cause a wide range of respiratory symptoms, from those associated with common colds to more serious illnesses, such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
Why is it important to not take this lightly?
Prevention campaigns are actually mandated by how easily the disease is spread. A person may get COVID-19 by coming in contact with a person infected by the virus or by touching an object that an infected person may have touched after touching their nose or mouth. The places where contagion is most likely are crowded public spaces; that's why the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended canceling mass events and implementing telecommuting, a model for people to work from home.
In Mexico we're not at the highest threat level like in other countries, since a little over 100 cases have been confirmed nationwide. However, we can't let our guard down: if countries like France, the United States and Spain have stated they do not have the capacity to cope with the disease should it continue to spread uncontrollably, we in Mexico have the responsibility to take care of our own lives and those of our family and the people around us.
Prevention is still possible
Health crisis
Our public health system has a capacity limit that would be very easily met, and it would be impossible to treat and follow up on a large number of infections—this would be a huge problem.
Scarcity of prevention items
If society panics and people buy all the sanitizing gel and face masks they can, what they actually do is cause an early shortage of these products, which in turn would increase the likelihood of the disease spreading; additionally, by aggressively increasing the demand, prices for these products would also increase, which would also have an economic impact.
We need to take the suggested prevention measures:
To be mindful of our personal hygiene by constantly washing our hands, disinfecting them every 30 minutes and avoiding touching or kissing people when we greet them.
Do not panic—keep calm and remember that we're not in alert because of a high number of cases, but to stop the virus from continuing to spread. As a society, the best we can do is to stay tuned to reputable media sources, avoid fake news and make the best of our time at home.
We at SIMCA Desarrollos suggest you take this time at home to go over your finances and investments. If you're thinking of investing, this is a great moment to take your time and analyze the best options you have.
