We are awash in pandemic metaphors, e.g.:
On the Media Podcast: from their April 3, 2020, program: What War Rhetoric Means For A Wartime Economy
And:
Retraction Watch: April 6, 2020, post: “Hydroxychloroquine-COVID-19 study did not meet publishing society’s “expected standard”:
‘.… And we are likely to see lots of “promising” but ultimately unhelpful treatments in the days and weeks ahead. As we wrote the other day in Wired:
When it comes to findings, the Covid-19 train is an express, while the rigorous science coach is a local. Until that local arrives at its final destination, it may be wise to label all this research—preprints, peer-reviewed papers, and for goodness’ sake, pronouncements from Donald Trump— with a black-box warning: “There is some evidence for this now. It will likely turn out to be at least partially wrong.”….’ [Link to Retraction Watch post.]