Transcript

Hello, and welcome to Speaking of Psychology, a biweekly podcast from the American Psychological Association that explores the connections between psychological science and everyday life. I'm your host, Caitlin Luna. Fear about the coronavirus has gripped the world as I speak. More than 600 people have died from the virus, and more than 31,000 people have become sick.

That's according to the World Health Organization. Nearly all cases have been in China, but that hasn't stopped people in other countries from worrying here in the us, a dozen or so people have become ill so far. While this new illness certainly is frightening and needs attention, it's important to note that far more people die from an illness.