FEATUREApple has announced WWDC as late as mid-April
in past years, so the company has some time to watch
the spread of the virus and reach a final decision. But
it’s becoming clear that we’re entering a period where
international travel and large groups of people in small
spaces is not advisable.
The worldwide spread of a new virus isn’t generally
something that burns out in a couple of months, which
is why it’s likely that Apple is going to have to find an
alternative from an enormous party with thousands of
developers (and many key Apple employees) in San
Jose. So if WWDC as we know it is unlikely to occur,
what happens next?Why the cancellations matter
Let’s lead with the obvious: I’m not a doctor or an
epidemiologist. But it’s clear that this virus is spreading
around the world rapidly. While media analyst Ben
Thompson has suggested that the virus might not be as
fatal as was originally feared, it is highly transmissible
and it tends to land an awful lot of people in the
hospital with serious symptoms.
As a result, perhaps the best reason to cancel
conferences is not to stop the spread of the virus,
but to slow its spread, because our existing health
infrastructure will be under intense pressure, and if a
huge spike of patients happens, the hospitals will be
overwhelmed. A lot of people are going to get the virus
regardless, but the more we can reduce the speed of
the spread, the better our health infrastructure can
react and take care of patients.FEATURE
ApplehasannouncedWWDCaslateasmid-April
inpastyears,sothecompanyhassometimetowatch
thespreadofthevirusandreachafinaldecision.But
it’sbecomingclearthatwe’reenteringaperiodwhere
internationaltravelandlargegroupsofpeopleinsmall
spacesisnotadvisable.
Theworldwidespreadofanewvirusisn’tgenerally
somethingthatburnsoutinacoupleofmonths,which
iswhyit’slikelythatAppleisgoingtohavetofindan
alternativefromanenormouspartywiththousandsof
developers(andmanykeyAppleemployees)inSan
Jose.SoifWWDCasweknowitisunlikelytooccur,
whathappensnext?Why the cancellationsmatter
Let’sleadwiththeobvious:I’mnotadoctororan
epidemiologist.Butit’sclearthatthisvirusisspreading
aroundtheworldrapidly.WhilemediaanalystBen
Thompsonhassuggestedthatthevirusmightnotbeas
fatalaswasoriginallyfeared,itishighlytransmissible
andittendstolandanawfullotofpeopleinthe
hospitalwithserioussymptoms.
Asaresult,perhapsthebestreasontocancel
conferencesisnottostopthespreadofthevirus,
buttoslowitsspread,becauseourexistinghealth
infrastructurewillbeunderintensepressure,andifa
hugespikeofpatientshappens,thehospitalswillbe
overwhelmed.Alotofpeoplearegoingtogetthevirus
regardless,butthemorewecanreducethespeedof
thespread,thebetterourhealthinfrastructurecan
reactandtakecareofpatients.