#Coronavirus: A Reset Button

March 20, 2020

 “Mother Nature has been mad at us for so long and now we are finally listening... This is the reset button,” my friend Christina said.

The coronavirus outbreak is a harsh wakeup call, and perhaps a moment to hit the reset button on so many levels.  We are facing one of the most uncertain periods in our lifetimes. How will humanity emerge from such an existential threat to the world as we know it? 

Coronavirus known as COVID-19, or some like President Trump have dangerously called the “Chinese virus” – is not only a health risk but could have far-reaching consequences for how we co-exist as a society. Yes, the virus first appeared in Wuhan, China in late 2019 but it is not the fault of any one people, but a pandemic that requires us to work together to save lives and hopefully emerge stronger as a global community. 

Two weeks ago, I thought I would be in Austin today to hold a music showcase during the SXSW festival with my co-producer Allie Shaw and our amazing team at the headquarters of Whole Foods Market to benefit their non-profit Whole Planet Foundation. We had raised over $10,000 for the Foundation and were excited to feature a fantastic lineup including Soul Asylum and global artists. On March 6, everything changed as SXSW then practically every event worldwide was canceled in succession. Each day and hour brought grim news about the rapid spread of the novel Coronavirus, and how authorities around the world were racing to contain the contagion and #flattenthecurve by limiting public gatherings. 

Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom of California imposed the most stringent stay at home order in the country for about 40 million residents and today, New York did the same for about 20 million people. All non-essential activity must cease and public gatherings of any size are not permitted. The U.S. reaction has been slower than in Asia and Europe and many cases are believed to be undetected due to the delays in testing. The epicenter has recently shifted from China and Asia to Italy and Europe with the US not far behind. Soon, medical institutions around the world may be overwhelmed by too many patients who require vital care including ventilators which are in short supply. Such complex machines depend on manufacturers of parts around the world as our global supply chains are linked and under extraordinary pressure given factory shutdowns. In fact, China is the world’s leading manufacturer of medical equipment, supplies and pharmaceuticals. 

There is hope for limiting the damage from Coronavirus which comes at great economic costs. The business closures, social distancing and quarantine measures that are happening should help curb the spread as was seen in China which reported no new domestic cases on March 19. The rest of the world is struggling to contain their rising outbreaks. Some drastic measures have been imposed on personal mobility, cross-border travel and the re-emergence of border controls within Europe, between the US, Canada and Mexico, and practically every country towards others given the perceived threats. International air travel has practically ground to a halt as countries close off their borders. 

As a frequent traveler, I have never seen such border controls in my lifetime. The U.S. State Department issued yesterday an unprecedented Level 4 travel advisory: “Avoid all international travel” and has urged all Americans not to travel, return home if possible or stay abroad indefinitely. And, it’s the first time in my life that I’m reluctant to fly, even to Austin where I cancelled my flights this week and to Mexico City next week where I had planned a trip months ago to visit close friends and for a yoga retreat. 

Monday was the final permissible day for in-person instruction at Cal State Fullerton. By then, many of my international business students asked if they could stay home so I accelerated online learning using the Zoom platform. Five students appeared in person and sat well over six feet apart while thirty participated online. It would be our last time on campus as the university like most schools are closed and graduation in May was also postponed.  

“Most of you were infants on September 11, 2001… but that was the last time in my lifetime when travel and economic activity halted and the world stood still,” I said to my students, who were learning about globalization and its challenges in real time.

I was living in Washington DC on 9/11 and had a meeting that clear Tuesday morning with my boss William J. Clinton (a trade lawyer and not the president) at the U.S. Trade Representative Office next to the White House. The sky seemed to be falling, literally. It was a shock to witness thick black smoke rising from the Pentagon – the very heart of global military might, as I walked across the Key Bridge connecting Georgetown with Arlington, Virginia to stay home the rest of the week.  Back then, the threat was more apparent and Americans responded with patriotism and unity while communities across the world came together to fight terrorism. The following week, my professional life continued as I took a flight to Hong Kong to attend an international trade conference, though passengers on the plane did look around the aisle with suspicion as people left their seats during the flight.

Now, we are fighting an invisible enemy that is spreading faster than within our control. And, this danger is more crippling as it is forcing us into physical isolation. Despite the closure of businesses, factories, trade wars, political blame games, travel bans and other restrictions, we are still interconnected as a global society. The social distancing and fear should not weaken us. It offers an opportunity to strengthen our bonds with our family, friends and strangers, be more creative, empathetic and tolerant. This is a time to connect and heal, not to hoard or blame our losses of fortune and personal freedoms because of a “Chinese virus.” It may well be a reset button to recognize what we value as individuals and as a society, and our connection to Nature and the world around.

As we have quickly realized, when Nature is upset it can unleash deadly and unforeseen forces that can cripple our well-being and our greatest creations. There is currently no immediate cure for those infected by this novel Coronavirus, but the long-term remedy may be living a more kind and compassionate existence. We are all in this together, and hopefully can be more aware and conscientious inhabitants of this planet as we depend on each other for our very survival. The alternative would be devastating. We are running out of time but not hope.