We are learning a lot about human behavior during our common coronavirus experience.

Columns share an author's personal perspective and are often based on facts in the newspaper's reporting.

We are learning a lot about human behavior during our common coronavirus experience.

Just watching panic-stricken shoppers pile mile-high stacks of toilet paper into their carts can only make people wonder, how much toilet paper can those people possibly use? Common sense rationing does not appear to be on anyones radar screen. Of all people, New Englanders should know the folly of panic shopping. How many times have we stocked up to prepare for storms that never materialized?

Fear certainly effects us humans in strange ways. Wary people peer over their face masks with that Dont touch me look in their eyes. Whatever made them think anyone wanted to touch them in the first place?

We are quickly adapting to a period of virtual everything, and social distancing. Its chilling.

Students are attending virtual classes. Clergymen are preaching from virtual pulpits. We are told: Dont go the hospital, call your doctor. Perhaps that s the best advice possible under the circumstances but it does make one wonder why anybody would continue to espouse government-run health care.

This threat proves the value of "America First" when it comes to creating our own supply chains. We should be producing pills and other medical necessities here in this country instead of depending on China. This far-reaching virus makes that obvious.

With all due respect to our socialist friends, thank heaven for capitalism. Because of the profit motive, commercial interests are working around the clock to find a vaccine that can overcome this powerful virus. Some one is going to make a lot of well-deserved money for an effective serum.

Yes, and theres also something about this coronavirus pandemic thats teaching us a lot to remember. Things we should never have ignored in the first place.

Hopefully, people will remember the importance of personal hygiene. Just about everybody knows enough now to wash their hands more often - with soap or hand sanitizer. Finally, its a good thing that people who dont feel well are staying home rather than putting others at risk. Empowering rituals like investing in strengthening the bodys immune system by eating well, sleeping, and home exercise are finally receiving the attention they deserve.

Even public officials have shown capacity to learn from the past. When America was threatened by Ebola, President Obama refused to cancel flights from Africa. That mistake wasnt repeated when President Trump quickly restricted flights from China to just a few airports.

Here are some thoughts to consider.

Focus on what strengthens you and not what scares you. Our human brains are much more sensitive to what could go wrong than they are to what can go right. People fear dying in a plane crash much more than being in a car crash. Yet statistics show a 1 in 114 chance of dying in a car crash versus a 1 in 9,821 odds of dying in a plane crash.

Avoid fear mongers. Fear fuels more fear. Do yourself a favor and walk away from the doomsday and panic merchants.

Educate yourself. Dont just depend upon headlines. While the coronavirus is bad, it could be worse. Every year, some 60,000 Americans die of ordinary influenza.

In the final analysis, fear is contagious, but so too is courage. Sure, it makes sense to follow common sense precautions. But like so many other troubling things in life, this too will pass.

Heres something to consider. Some experts tell us that the coronavirus will weaken with the advent of warm weather. Thats just about 30 days away. It will be interesting to see how long it will take to recover from the social distancing that has become todays norm?

Will life in restaurants, bars, and sport events ever be the same? Will people start dating again?

Personally, Im really worried about the mental health of all those people who bought enough toilet paper to last for at least seven years.

Frank Mazzaglia can be reached at frankwrote@aol.com.

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Column: Adapting to social distancing and virtual everything - MetroWest Daily News