Coping with COVID-19: Business & Insurance Considerations for the Virus that Made America Virtual

The Value of Knowledge

The proverbial phrase, “What you don’t know can’t hurt you,” has been discredited as an idiom – especially in times such as these – as has its corollary, “Ignorance is bliss.” To the contrary, what you don’t know can, and often does, hurt you and others. Stated differently, a lack of knowledge does not minimize the likelihood of an occurrence – it often increases it. But what is the value of knowledge, and what is the benefit of ignorance? 

As for knowledge, according to the Centers for Disease Control, there are at least seven known strains of coronavirus to date, with the possibility of an eighth. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV2 (SARS CoV2) is a new strain of coronavirus discovered in 2019 that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The virus infects the upper respiratory tract and can lead to the onset of pneumonia, which is the primary mechanism that leads to death for a small percentage of infected individuals. Additionally the virus can enter the blood system and also potentially relocate to other areas like the heart and digestive tract.