Learning to live with Covid-19 is about accepting risk – Wall Street Journal

The World Health Organisation noted this week that it is now six months since Covid-19 was declared "a public health emergency of international concern". In that time, South Africa has become one of the world's hardest-hit countries and we have all adapted to new ways of living (or have tried to). And the pandemic will be with us for a while – President Cyril Ramaphosa said in May that it would be around for a year. In those circumstances, we are all going to have to work out what level of risk we are personally prepared to live with. This Wall Street Journal article notes that risk appetites vary considerably among individuals, and that human assessment of risk is not always rational: we fear things we don't understand or can't control. For instance, an aviation expert reckons that two hours spent on a full flight are about as likely to result in infection as two waking hours not spent on a plane. It comes down to a mixture of caution and common sense – and an eye to sustainable habits for the long-term. – Renee Moodie

Learning to Live With Coronavirus Risk

By Greg Ip

The pandemic's resurgence, including in places where it had been contained, makes it clear that for the foreseeable future the risk of Covid-19 can't be eliminated, only managed.

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