Winter is peak sickness season. We hear the sneezes, sniffles and hacks in classes practically daily.

The new viral outbreak of coronavirus is enough to get worried about. When people are dying, it is right to get a little worried. However, there is nothing to be hysterical about, because when you are here in P-Town, the chance of contracting this virus is insanely low.

The coronavirus has reached four states within the US, including Washington. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising people to avoid China unless travel is absolutely essential.

Just like any other virus or illness outbreak, we need to be washing our hands, sneezing into our arms and making sure we are vaccinated. Be cautious, but do not be afraid. Because fear can lead to harmful actions towards our own, that are already starting to take place.

Jill Humphrey, a member of the WSU Parents Facebook page recounts a story shared where an Asian American student was avoided by a group of students out of fear of the coronavirus. This can easily be seen as harmful. The fear of this virus is fueling racism in our community and others.

As heartbreaking as that is, we can educate our own, because racism doesn’t stand in line with our values as a Cougar family.

Historically, when there is concern about something like a disease or something that can cause harm to us as a species, mass hysteria begins.

With the level of concern and worry the world has put into the coronavirus, the chances of people experiencing phantom symptoms increases. Remember when lice broke out on campus and everyone’s head started itching?

“I am not afraid of it, I think people tend to freak out before anything has even happened, more people die from the flu than people have died from the coronavirus,” Alli Schoultz, a WSU sophomore undecided major, said. 

Schoultz said that people with weak immune systems should worry more.

With most of the deaths being reported, we can see it is mostly people over the age of 60. This should bring more solace to us, somewhat healthy, strong college students. We may get the sniffles, but we are stronger than the elderly when it comes to the immune system.

“I am not afraid of the coronavirus, I am afraid that China is downplaying it and it is a lot worse than they are claiming it is,” Hannah Norman, a WSU sophomore communication major said.

The fear of the virus is what we make it. The chances of it reaching us out here in the Palouse is small, unless you are taking weekend trips to Wuhan.

The smartest way to go about this viral outbreak is to carefully watch world news and be aware of where the current outbreaks are. Be mindful of others, our own fears shouldn’t project and harm others in the process.

It is important to be monitoring our health, but when there is a cough in Todd Auditorium, don’t immediately think it is the coronavirus here to kill us all. Pullman is quite possibly the last place on earth to get a case of the coronavirus.

That being said, if there is a true concern for one’s well-being, the doctor is just a phone call away.