The scary word for today is..."Coronavirus." It's so scary, it just caused the biggest drop in the stock market since 2008, and it looks like things will only get worse.

I suppose we're not too panicky about this new disease here in Winchendon, yet, although some 600 Massachusetts residents so far have voluntarily quarantined themselves at home while being monitored for the virus, after traveling to China. Only one Massachusetts resident has actually been diagnosed with the disease, and he is recovering.

We shouldn't panic, of course, no matter what happens, because panicked people tend to do really dumb things. This new virus, called COVID-19, has a higher lethality rate than ordinary flu--about 2%, mostly because of severe complications like pneumonia. But it's hardly going to wipe out the world's population like a scenario from Stephen King's The Stand. It may be as serious a disease as the 1918 Spanish influenza, but our ability to treat the symptoms is much more effective and advanced now. There may be a vaccine developed for it. So far, no deaths from COVID-19 have been reported in the United States.

In the meantime, the best we can do is take all the sensible precautions that we should be following, anyway. Eat healthy food, get enough sleep, get exercise, manage stress--all of these help boost your natural immune system. Wash your hands a lot (hand sanitizer isn't as effective as soap and water). Sneeze into the crook of your elbow and try not to touch your mouth and face. If you have a fever, shortness of breath and cough, you might want to check with your doctor.

If you're a senior, or a caretaker of a senior, you need to be especially cautious, because older people are more vulnerable to pneumonia.

But also remember that most people exposed to a virus don't come down with the disease. That's what our immune systems are for. Rather, for the vast majority of us, pandemics create more danger of life disruptions, financial loss, and other problems. One of my Facebook friends posed the question recently, "do you have a job where you can telecommute or take time off, and if not, do you have enough savings or other safety net to get through a long quarantine?" In our interconnected global economy, many businesses are already being affected by a shortage of imported materials or parts from China. What will you do if you, or your workplace, or your child's school, is quarantined for safety--for two weeks, or two months?

This may never happen--I'll even say, probably will never happen--but it's worth considering. It never hurts to be prepared for all contingencies. Meanwhile, here is what you don't need to do.

You don't need to avoid Asian and Asian-American people. They aren't going to give you COVID-19.

You don't need to avoid Chinese and Asian restaurants. They're operated under strict regulations and they're not going to make you sick. They're even more worried about that possibility than you are.

You don't need to lie awake at night worrying about COVID-19. Stress, after all, is not good for your immune system.

Even pandemics wind down and come to an end. Paranoia and panic, on the other hand, can last longer and do more damage. Franklin D. Roosevelt was right when he said, "We have nothing fear, but fear itself."

Inanna Arthen