key: cord-0964834-6eb2f831
authors: Dutheil, Frédéric; Baker, Julien S.; Navel, Valentin
title: Firearms or SARS-Cov-2: what is the most lethal?
date: 2020-05-08
journal: Public Health
DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2020.04.033
sha: f9ac5be7a08cbb86f4818161cd0e64564968578b
doc_id: 964834
cord_uid: 6eb2f831

Abstract With 393 million guns, the USA concentrated nearly half of the worldwide firearms, with more guns than US citizens. In late 2019, a new highly contagious virus appeared in China, and spread around the world, with a high lethality rate. Initially named coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), the virus was renamed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-Cov-19) which contributed to the increase of fear. Stress and anxiety caused the irrational necessity for self-defense and purchase of guns. Purchases of guns increased by one million in March 2020, and sales may probably explode in April. Victims of gun violence mobilize intensive care unit resources, that are vital in the context of SARS-Cov-2 pandemic with a shortage of assisted ventilation.

With 393 million guns, the US has nearly half of the firearms in the world, with more guns than US citizens (120 firearms per 100 people). 1 Fear and catastrophe are known to increase the purchase of guns, 2,3 including events such as mass shootings or terrorist attacks, and even the Barack Obama election where sections of the population felt insecure. In late 2019, a new highly contagious virus appeared in China and spread around the world with a high mortality rate. Figure 1 ). While only basic essentials can be purchased during containment, the National Rifle Association (NRA) considered firearms as essential products. Death by firearms is directly linked with firearm access (i.e. the availability of firearms to individuals) and the level of firearm ownership, both at the population, household and individual levels. 4 Owning a gun increases the risk of death by domestic violence for women by 20-fold 2,5 and the risk of suicide by 3-fold. 6 Contrary to the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, the current increased trend for gun ownership will not only have short-term consequences, as the risk of death increases the moment the gun is purchased, but will also have long-term consequences and subsequent increases in gun violence.

All countries with enforced firearm control have seen a decrease in gun violence. 4 Currently, nearly 50,000 people per year die or are injured by firearms in US; 7 thus, the current unprecedented purchase of guns, in addition to the fear of the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, may result in a massive challenge for the country. We also want to acknowledge that, despite no available data for most countries in the world, the purchase of guns worldwide might be a related consequence of the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, which may increase the already-staggering number of 857 million civilian firearms in the world. Moreover, victims of gun violence would utilise intensive care unit resources, which are already under great pressure with a shortage of assisted ventilation and are vital in the context of the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic. As The New York Times stated "Please, Stop Shooting. We Need the Beds". 8 

Estimating Global CivilianHELD Firearms Numbers

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Guns, fear, the Constitution, and the public's health

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Guns in Intimate Partner Violence: Comparing Incidents by Type of Weapon

Suicide in the home in relation to gun ownership

Gun violence archive, Evidence Based Research -since

Stop Shooting. We Need the Beds. The New York Times