COVID-19 vs. The World

The Geneva International Motor Show was just the beginning.

COVID-19 has begun to crimp several people’s livelihoods. It has become a global pandemic that has taken lives, quarantined others, and caused panic in various places on Earth.

Granted, we had pandemics before. The 1918 Spanish Influenza outbreak was one of them. We had the Bubonic Plague some centuries ago. SARS, Avian Flu…and so forth.

To think that we're spiraling out of control with this viral disease – based on your social media feeds.

Yes, the coronavirus has encroached onto the automotive industry. Not just in the supply chain and its effect on production and sales, but in engagements where the media should be able to tell the story of upcoming new vehicles and motorsports events.

For example, the New York International Auto Show has been rescheduled from April to the end of August into the beginning of September. Several media events from General Motors, Hyundai, and other manufacturers have been canceled. Some motorsports events, including some MotoGP and Formula E events were also canceled or postponed. It was said that some Formula 1 races would be held without fans in attendance.

It is not just the automotive industry that has been affected by COVID-19. The National Basketball Association suspended their 2019-2020 season because one of their stars was tested positive for COVID-19. The National Hockey League and Major League Soccer just suspended their seasons for at least the next 30 days. Then, the last shoe fell. Major League Baseball announced that they will delay Opening Day for two weeks.

In the entertainment business, both Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were reported to have tested positive for COVID-19. Several concert tours and festivals have either canceled or postponed citing concerns over this virus.

Travel has taken a big hit. The President of the United States of America recently announced that travel between this country and Europe has been suspended for 30 days – aimed at European travelers, I'm afraid.

We’ve seen the news, the panic, and the memes on social media. We’ve seen posts of events being canceled or postponed. But, frankly, this is really getting out of control. Whether it is the disease, the denial, or the panic because of all of the above – we're at the point of overreacting to anything about this health issue.

So, what are you doing about it? I hope you're not questioning this because – let's be honest here – a little common sense goes a very long way.

Yes, you should be washing your hands multiple times – before and after meals, after using the bathroom, and so forth. It is the simplest thing you can do. While hand sanitizers do work, there is nothing like running a tap, getting soaped up and using human power to clean your hands.

If you need to be protected from the world, clean your vehicles, your workspace, and all of the things you use daily. This may sound like paranoia but making sure you are clean in every way possible may just keep this virus away from you.

What does this have to do with this website? As I mentioned before, the effects of cancellations and postponements from the presence of COVID-19 are hitting home with me and this work. Not just from what I listed above, rather on plans I had in the coming months.

Though the idea of doing vehicle reveals virtually fits within the parameters of today’s technology-laden world, there is nothing like being there for that moment.

As a travel writer that does road trips, the pall of never experiencing one of these adventures over some uncertainty about a virus affects my long-term editorial calendar.

So, what's next?

I won't answer that question. It is a loaded one. I would like this to be done with, so we can get back to our lives, our work, and our livelihood. We can continue our lives during this time of viruses, fear-mongering, joke-making, overreactions, and social distancing.

For now, you have two choices: put your lives on hold or be cautious in the world as this health crisis continues.

I will leave that up to you.