Y2K, The Bird Flu & The Coronavirus – False Fears

I remember back in 2003 when the avian flu virus (bird flu) scare hit with all its force.  The authorities in the U.K were killing birds by the thousands.  It dominated the news for many weeks.  I recall watching the news where they interviewed a leading medical “expert” in Britain who was hitting the public panic button.  When asked about the possibility of this disease mutating from birds to humans, he stated emphatically that it wasn’t a matter of if, but when.  He went on to say, “It might be one or two years at the most, but one-third of the world’s population will die by this avian flu pandemic.”  Well, this “expert” was WRONG!   Two years later after his statement there had been less than twenty-four deaths attributed to this avian, or bird, flu.

While I am not minimizing the loss of any life from this disease, it certainly was not as predicted, “one-third of the world’s population”. This stands out as a classic example of how we are misled, and at times lied to by the media as they promote mass hysteria and fear.

Unfortunately, the same thing is happening presently with the Coronavirus Virus.   I wanted to share what Dr. Jarod Baily an Internist in Valdosta posted on Facebook this week:  Covid 19 (Coronavirus) is a novel virus, but it is just a virus nonetheless……one that has been proven susceptible to restraint!

When, and if, you are able to block out the media hysteria and the economic pessimism, and focus simply on the facts and statistics, I promise you The sense of calm you will feel coming over you is well received!

At this point, the mortality risk across-the-board in our country associated with Covid 19 is 2.7%. There have been 37 reported fatalities and 1300 diagnosed cases of the coronavirus reported up to this point……. But these numbers, although factual, do not tell the complete story.

22 of those 37 fatalities occurred in one nursing home, in one city, in one State!!

If you take those numbers, 1.4% of the total number of fatalities in our country are due to that one nursing facility!!!! That means that there is only a 1.3% mortality rate associated with the Coronavirus NATIONWIDE if you simply remove that one nursing home from the equation!

How significant is this??….. Extremely significant!

The average age of a nursing home resident in our country is 79 years old with the vast majority of nursing home residents reported to be over 85 years old according to data. Without any additional external factors, the mortality rate at 80 years old in the United States is 5% across-the-board……

Pneumonia has a 38% mortality rate at 80 years old. Diabetes leads to a 14% mortality rate at 80 years old. Basic influenza has almost a 1% mortality rate at 80 years old!!….and that’s in the face of an evidence based and FDA approved treatments being readily available!!!!!

The bottom line is that we do have a novel virus on our hands, it does increase mortality in our elderly and our immunocompromised communities….. But it is not worth the hysteria that is currently on display and the political games that are being played at our expense!!!!

It is the nature of this world to overstate everything and predict the worst-case scenarios.  The world considers this wisdom, but this is the spirit of fear.  They don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up, but it is hope that keeps this world from imploding.

There is no way of knowing how many people are in depression and in fear right now because of these constant fearful reports.  However, it’s not just the secular media that has all the doomsday prophets.  The church and some preachers are already declaring that this virus is God’s judgement or His means to get the attention of the lost.  This is not only ridiculous but blasphemous!

Do you remember the Y2K scare?  My church met and we praised God on New Year’s Eve in 1999 while many Christians were predicting the worst.  Some churches were selling supplies of emergency food, generators, and were urging people to move out of the cities.  The new millennium turned out to be a non-event. People hoarded food and other necessities, and suffered from fear all needlessly.

Our world has become addicted to fear and the negative. If there aren’t enough negative things going on, then the media will manufacture something for us to worry about.

This is the exact opposite of how the Bible tells us to live.

Philippians 4:6 says,

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

The Greek word that was translated “careful” means, “to be anxious.” We aren’t supposed to be anxious about anything.  Do you live with apprehension and worry? Sadly, most people would say yes.

The next verse, Philippians 4:7, gives us the results of a person who is careful for nothing.

“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

This is the scriptural test to see where you are on this issue.  Is there a peace that passes all understanding keeping your heart and mind healthy?  Remember, your life goes the way of your dominate thoughts (Prov. 23:7 and Rom. 12:2).  If you want to control your life, control your thoughts.

This leads to the next verse in this Philippians passage. Paul said,

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8).

If we followed the instruction of this verse, our lives would be totally different.  We certainly couldn’t be as dominated by the media as we are.  I don’t know of anyone who believes that the media is honest, just, and pure, reporting the things that are lovely, of good report, have virtue, and are worthy of praise.

I know some people feel the need to stay informed. However, we would have less issues with fear, confusion, and discouragement if we would just simply cut back on watching so much news reports. If something really big happens, I guarantee, you will hear about it.

The question is, how do we counter the negativism of the world, even the church world, that crowds in on us from every direction?

Isaiah 26:3 says,

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

This verse states very plainly that perfect peace comes from God, and more specifically from keeping our minds stayed on God and trusting in Him. Begin with that. Can’t wait to worship our Father with all of you this Sunday!