1/ Another fascinating sociological point: the places with the least virus (New Zealand, rich suburbs) fear it most. This is not new: the most anti-Semitic countries have the fewest Jews. The virus is a symbol; and its symbolism has grown as its known health risks have shrunk...

2/ The fact is that #COVID is a relatively mild illness for most (not all, but most) people under 80, unless they have diabetes or severe obesity/CV conditions. And even those folks generally recover. Know enough folks who get it and this becomes obvious. But as a SYMBOL...

3/ A symbol on the left of inequality and health-system unfairness and for the suburban Karens/Neils of otherness and lack of control and the inevitability of death... it’s awesomely powerful...

4/ This is why Hollywood (and the Bay Area) - the ultimate lefty suburbs, where those two currents intersect most powerfully - have the worst #COVID hysteria of all.