COVID-19 paranoia can affect the poultry industry

Coronavirus COVID-19 attacked Europe. Italy is today the third or fourth country with the most people infected in the world.

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(Mikeledray | Bigstock)
(Mikeledray | Bigstock)

Coronavirus COVID-19 attacked Europe. Italy is today the third or fourth country with the most people infected in the world. Most of the cases have occurred in Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto, among others, exactly the same regions where most of the Italian poultry farms are located.

Italy - the sixth largest European poultry producer - is basically self-sufficient in poultry production, with a per capita consumption of about 20 kg of chicken and turkey meat, and 208 eggs. Although 2018 showed a decrease in production, an increase in growth was expected in 2019. But what will happen now?

As it is known, both the Army and the Police of that country guard the quarantined populations. No one can enter or leave. I imagine that problems will begin to occur in terms of farm management, feed transportation and many other activities, if there are such severe movement restrictions.

I blogged a few weeks ago about what was said about COVID-19 coronavirus at the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE), and how in those early stages there were already people worried about the impact of China on the world’s poultry industry. Well, here's another example. So, it not only affects tourism or transportation, but also poultry and all other industries. Who knows what mark it will leave in the months ahead?

Personally, I am not afraid of getting infected. If one is healthy, there is a 98% chance of survival. I fear more the decisions made by third parties that may affect many of us. I am also very afraid of alarmism. Let's not forget that COVID-19 is "only" a flu.

In 2009, I experienced the H1N1 flu epidemic in Mexico, the first country to notify it. It was not a nice experience, especially with the apocalyptic images of the empty streets of Mexico City, a city with more than 22 million people (it looked like The Walking Dead series). Businesses were greatly affected, as were revenues. The kick of the H1N1 that the family business received was the one that finally sent it out of business. All because of a flu.

Of course, I do not question epidemiologists, or state health services. But, my goodness, be careful with what it is decided and communicated. We must be cautious — the spread of paranoia can be worse than the virus itself.

What do you think?

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