Deutsche Welle Daily Bulletin October 27, 2020

Breaking social distancing rules can feel less risky with people you know than with strangers. It’s a cognitive bias that’s driving coronavirus infections.

Passing by a coughing stranger on a sidewalk during a global pandemic or having coffee with a work friend — for most people, one of those two scenarios will sound considerably safer than the other. 

We know the work friend, they know us. They don’t appear unwell, and neither do we. Even if it may be risky to sit close together and remove our masks, it doesn’t really feel threatening — unlike the coughing stranger.

But it’s precisely those interactions between people who know each other that may be contributing to a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases. (continue reading)

Editor’s note: Germany initially had the best response to COVID-19 with considerably fewer cases and deaths than most European countries. But now they are experiencing the same surge as their neighbors and here in the US. This article explains what in all likelihood is the reason.