The cancellation of this year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona is not some irrational overreaction to the outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Quite the contrary: It is a responsible reaction to the outbreak, which has now killed more than 1,600 people in China  and infected nearly 60,000 people around the world.

The telecoms industry’s biggest annual gathering attracts roughly 100,000 exhibitors and visitors from around the world, not to mention all of those people who work at the fair. Because China is the world’s leading manufacturer of mobile communications components, operating systems and apps, it also sends the largest contingent of exhibitors to the fair.

Thus, it isn’t surprising that fair organisers began to worry about safety…