GoKunming Forums

New Coronavirus

Trumpster (84 posts) • 0

But isn't that my point? The economic disruption and hardship is real because we can witness it but is the danger from Covid-19 really as bad as presented? To be clear, I am not discounting the dangers and the existence of Covid-19, only questioning the rationality of the response people have over the perceived ebb and flow of the disease.

For example, if some of my acquaintances or their acquaintances become ill from the virus, I will become concerned regardless of whether or not it's a national or international phenomenon. By the same token, even if there is a global epidemic going around but my community seems to be immune from it, I would be less concerned. But is it rational to become alarmed by reports without corresponding evidence? To make another point, people are sighing a sigh of relief because there have been 0 new cases in Yunnan for sometime, but yesterday, or there abouts, a new case was confirmed, so what does that mean? We go back to fear? Wasn't the risk the same today as it was before the new case of announced?

I do not need to know anybody that was injured in that fallen building because I can see the rubble of the building, in this scenario, the tangible aspect is the buildings themselves and not the people inside. If a thousand buildings collapsed in Beijing, should I be concerned about my building in Kunming? Probably not, unless there is factual evidence linking those buildings to my building. If a couple of buildings collapsed in my xiaoqu would I be concerned? Absolutlely! And I will not go back to living there until I can assured by factual evidence that is it safe to occupy.

So again I say, I am not advocating ignoring precautions and living life as normal and burying one's head in the sand, but to react emotionally to reports of something happening remotely is irrational.

Fear due to personal experience is rational, however illogical it might be. Fear due to unsubstantiated hearsay is both irrational and illogical.

JanJal (1243 posts) • 0

China may be different than many countries in this situation, but regardless here the state can give certain orders that all residents are expected to follow.

For example, in many western countries general public is told to not bother wearing face masks unless they are ill themselves, work in the medical frontline or otherwise deal with infected individuals.

But in China the state (local if not national) has ordered that for example in subways and taxis everyone MUST fear a facemask.

Now if people go hoarding face masks, what can you do? In my opinion you cannot really put this under "unsubstantiated hearsay". They are effectively told to do so.

If a thousand buildings collapsed in Beijing, I for one would be checking flights out of China regardless of it being caused by act of war, geology, or widespread lack of construction quality oversight.

Personally, as a Kunming resident, I would be less concerned of a couple of buildings collapsing in Kunming, than a thousand buldings collapsing in Beijing. Even if those collapses occurred in this very neihbourhood, I'd probably just move to different neighbourhood, rather than leaving the country.

Trumpster (84 posts) • 0

I think we are talking about two different issues here, @JanJal. While you are more focused on governmental policies and their resulting circumstances, I am discussing the emotional responses to the unknown or the intangible.

I can see your points and I've articulated mine and so the rest is just a matter of preference and philosophy. To each their own.

:)

JanJal (1243 posts) • 0

Yeah, but the two are quite interlinked I believe. Emotional responses are often constrained or guided by governmental policies - in some countries more than others. Of course, elsewhere other guiding mechanisms may take precedence.

GoK Moderator (5096 posts) • 0

***Wandering off topic***
I understand the desire to discuss tangential issues, and you are free to do that but please start a new thread, or add to the Keep Calm and Carry on Thread here www.gokunming.com/[...]

It would be good to keep this thread focused on the Corona Virus, because it is such an important topic right now, and it is where many visitors to the forum will look first.

JanJal (1243 posts) • 0

To that end, you should consider putting the link to the two official articles permanently sticky under latest articles - rather than advertising a cooking book for example.

I don't believe this thread with its 20 pages is good as relevant priority service to casual visitors - even the original poster was banned already.

GoKunming (162 posts) • 0

We moved the Covid-19 articles to the top

@JanJal As for the cookbook, I'm sure you can find a delicious recipe in there for village pig. As mentioned in the 'letter from the editor' article, we're going to publish articles that are not virus related. That includes cooking.

For all suggestions with regards to site content or moderation please use the contact form. Thank you!

GoK Moderator (5096 posts) • 0

Thank you for pointing out about the two articles having dropped. They have been bumped back to the top while we look at alternative solutions.

Prapancha (18 posts) • 0

On March 11, a person arriving in Kunming from Spain (Beijing stopover) was tested positive. Contact tracing resulted in quarantine of 54 people the person encountered upon returning home from Changshui Airport, many of whom were family relatives.

As imported infections are reported to have surpassed local infections for third straight day, expect tighter screenings for expats looking to return to Kunming via transfer cities. Situation around the world seems to change rapidly, so constantly update on tightening checks for specific foreign countries.

Related forum threads

Login to post