Moral decisions in the age of COVID-19: your choices really matter

04/15/2020

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by   Francesco Donnarumma, et al.

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The moral decisions we make during this period, such as deciding whether to comply to quarantine rules, have unprecedented societal effects. We simulate the "escape from Milan" that occurred on March 7th-8th, when many travelers moved from a high-risk zone (Milan) to southern regions of Italy (Campania and Lazio) immediately after an imminent lockdown was announced. Our simulations show that as few as 41 active cases reaching Campania (and 52 reaching Lazio) might have caused the sudden spread of the virus observed afterwards in these regions. The surprising influence of the actions of few individuals on societal dynamics challenges our cognitive expectations – as in normal conditions, few "cheaters" can be easily tolerated. This situation therefore requires novel educational strategies that increase our awareness and understanding of the unprecedented effects of our individual moral decisions.