Pandemic is a scary word. But intense fear of the novel coronavirus almost seems as pervasive as the virus itself.
Coronavirus cases have now been confirmed in more than 100 countries, with varying levels of disruption to daily life around the world. Understandably, people are concerned about the health and well-being of themselves and their loved ones. But the pandemic is also bringing out the worst in us.
Supermarkets and stores have become the Wild West, where it’s every man or woman for themselves — especially in matters involving toilet paper. Shoppers are duking it out to decide who gets the last roll. In Australia, a coffee shop is accepting toilet paper as currency. In Hong Kong, knife-wielding men robbed a store and walked away with 600 rolls of toilet paper — a heist of $130.
But response to the coronavirus goes beyond panic-buying and hoarding. People with seasonal allergies have become targets of sneeze shaming — a plane headed to New Jersey landed in Denver when a group became “disruptive” after a fellow passenger experienced a bout of allergic sneezing. Coronavirus-fueled hate crimes are making headlines as well.
What explains the rise of stockpiling, hysteria, xenophobia and conspiracy theories amid the coronavirus? Discover spoke with clinical psychologist Steven Taylor about the psychological fallout caused by pandemics.
