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The panic around the coronavirus has become a hysteria based on fear and the semi sector has created an ecosystem of unparalleled power to deal with it in many ways such as genetic readers from Illumina that have brought the speed of reading up dramatically and lowered the cost by a staggering amount. It has also brought tremendous ability to coordinate and collaborate tremendous brain power dramatically enhanced by technology. We dealt with SARS, embola and exotic flues that caused almost inconsequential deaths compared to auto accidents and bad diet. This is the one downside of the tech sector in the ability of a few to spread irrational fears. The international effort to deal with this is staggering with the Chinese having built the equivalent of our CDC in the past few years. This is but one of the many challenges before us that the semi/nanotech sector has given us staggering power to deal with as we have done in the past with far, far fewer tools. I see a huge opportunity for the semi/nanotech sector in personal medical monitoring of all types that we are just at the very beginning of. If anyone has information on advanced equipment that could be part of the solution, could you please post. The only thing we have to fear is fear and ignorance itself.
Update, it has already been noted that advanced technology out of ThermoFisher which uses many advanced semis/mems will be key in understanding the coronavirus. Add computing and communications to this and the benefits the semi/nanotech sector bring are keys to a modern society and its functioning.
I was in Southern China for a week at the first outbreak and I had no idea what was going on. All of my news sources and email are blocked in China (Google). It really was uncomfortable. I flew in/out of Hong Kong and ferried over to Shenzhen for business then spent the weekend at a resort in Guangzhou. There was no health screening whatsoever, not even in the HK airport. I read about the virus in the United Airlines lounge Saturday evening (1/18) before my flight home. No screening at SFO either. No dogs sniffed my bags for food either. But given this virus has a two week incubation period I'm not sure how well screening would work.
Hopefully this will not end too badly but it is a lesson learned for sure. Taiwan has had health screening for many years. They check for fever on your way in before immigration. This and more will probably be standard issue for all international airports now, hopefully.
With the cost, versatility and increased speed of use of test equipment made by the tech sector combined with big data it should be no problem to run tests at a clip once deemed unimaginable. Infrared cameras alone can tell a lot and a quick breath test reveal even more. Even devices that smell can add to this. This sounds like an opportunity that's right now and more could be on the way within weeks pulled off the shelf and adapted to current needs. I wish our leadership could advance in creativity as fast our technology. Solution oriented people and organizations are needed to overcome fear mongers mired in the past. We dealt with SARS with 2003 technology and had few problems compared to all the other dangers we have compared to auto accidents that kill thousands everyday world wide.
Not really I like to listen to media throughout the world and it was credible. It wasn't Alex Jones or art bell stuff. I'm a multiculturalist and believe we need to respect each other and work with each other. I believe differences are a strength. China's too big to form an opinion on one thing.
I buy and do business with china . To be honest coronavirus didn't change any of my habits. I wish it was over.
