Letters | Better safe than sorry: stand together to fight coronavirus

Patterns are very important in the search for vectors (the mode or mechanism of transmission). Researchers in Hunan investigated a case of possible transmissions of Covid-19 on a public bus. But the evidence is not conclusive, so how should it be interpreted? With caution, obviously, that is strongly on the side of “prepare for the worst”.

Until we know more, it is only prudent to follow the advice of public health professionals: individuals should wear masks in public, particularly on public transport, clean hands frequently and avoid (unnecessary) social gatherings; service providers should assume surfaces are potential reservoirs of disease and clean them frequently. Sars-CoV continued to kill affected patients for two years.

We are still very early on the learning curve with Covid-19 and it is impossible to predict, at this time, the longer-term social, or indeed political, implications of the disease. What we do know is that the virus has no race, no politics and no religion. It is a product of nature and will do what it can to survive. We can aid and abet it. Or we can stand and fight.

Andrew Burd, Tai Po

Charge panic buyers more, and wear a mask if ill