How currently uninfected countries have been impacted by the coronavirus outbreak

Coronavirus (Covid-19) originates from Wuhan, China, and has spread across Asia rapidly, infecting at least 80,000 and killing 27,00, according to Washington Post (February 25th, 2020). However, the virus has not yet spread and infected people in every country yet. Despite not being infected, many people in other countries far away from Asia are panicking. How have these people been impacted by the spreading of the virus epidemic?

As the virus spread, many of those living in the areas with the most infected people have bought masks, anti-bacterial soap and tissues, toilet paper and other daily necessities as fear, panic, and the possibility of not being able to access daily necessities struck them. Shelves have been emptied, boxes have been unboxed, and some have even robbed others as a last resort, afraid of what would happen next. As a result, these certain items have become rarer and rarer in Asia and places where the coronavirus has infected, and more and more people and ordering these items from other countries overseas.

In the countries that have not been infected by the virus, masks and other things are still being bought in bulk; some buying masks to send to friends and family overseas, some buying them to sell at a high price to those who need them, resulting in the prices of masks being raised and the companies producing masks receiving more money, profiting off the crisis.

China, the place with the most casualties due to this virus, is one of the most influential countries in the world and produces and exports many of the products that other countries use. However, due to the spreading of the virus, China has halted most factories and asked most citizens to stay at home to prevent the further spreading of the virus. Due to this, many products and item parts meant to be sold and shipped to other countries after production was never produced as the factory workers were unable to work, resulting in both the companies producing the goods and the companies selling/using the goods to lose money and possibly temporarily forcibly close down. Other countries have also started to produce the products they were originally supposed to receive from China themselves in case the virus epidemic lasts longer than anticipated or another extreme case happens.

Many countries have also cancelled shipments from China as well, as the coronavirus is proven to possibly persist for 28 days on a surface, according to Japan Times, especially metal or plastic ones. Many products shipped from China contain metal or plastic parts, and the virus could possibly infect another country through an inanimate product instead of a human or animal, which would put the uninfected citizens from other countries at risk if the shipments continued as planned.

In normal circumstances, most products produced in the world would be purchased by people in Asia; as Asia has the country with the largest population; China. However, as the virus has originated from China and spread across Asia, more than 59.5% of the world’s total population is unable to leave their country and therefore cannot purchase products from other countries nor travel, decreasing the income of those selling products and services to tourists.

The virus has infected many countries, and the countries that have not been infected have still been affected economically. Some countries have already realized what coronavirus will do to their economy and have already started to attempt to contain it and stop relying on another country’s imports to survive. Hopefully, the virus outbreak will be over soon, and all will recover.