According to a recent article in The Independent, “45% of people infected with [corona] virus show ‘no or minimal symptoms’, new figures indicate”. I am probably one of those persons. Apart from some occasional shivers over my spine and some extra tiredness, I feel nothing. No lack of breath, no coughing, and hardly a raised temperature.
There is no need to change my routines though (my recent blog). I always work at home and am only exposed to a few people. I have no clue how I contracted it. The very first day that I wondered about having a flu was February 28. The next day, I had lunch with my mother (85) and son (21). Both still have no symptoms.
The difference between micro and macro could hardly be bigger. Countries and stock exchanges are panicking while most citizens keep calm and endure. Some people are calling this a leadership crisis. However, the one who is often accused of this, was remarkably clear and honest:
“German Chancellor Angela Merkel has warned that up to 70% of the country’s population – some 58 million people – could contract the coronavirus. [] She said since there was no known cure, the focus would fall on slowing the spread of the virus. “It’s about winning time,” she explained.” (BBC)
Indeed, there’s hardly more to this. It beats me why countermeasures are directed at all people while only some people have a high corona fatality risk (eg, elderly men, people with existing health problems). Focusing on – and the safeguarding of – some people who are at risk, makes more sense than quarantining (parts of) an entire population.
Italy seems to be ruining its country by its countermeasures. Trump is further ruining the USA by hardly testing its citizens for contamination, and thus creating an artificially high fatality risk (see part 1 of this blog). Moreover, he blames a “foreign virus” during a global pandemic. His countermeasures (eg, banning flights from Europe) are only devastating Wall Street.
Guardian, March 6: “The looming arrival of a new disease as it spreads across international borders is, naturally, a source of some anxiety. But psychologists warn that the coronavirus outbreak has the ingredients to tip society into a state of panic if not carefully handled.”
Some countries are more receptive to panic than others. I’m curious when – not if – the arrogant liberal-left as well as the ignorant conservative-right (eg, Trump) will bring American panic and a global recession. In the meantime, the coronavirus may soon test Trump’s health (eg, Axios). Every cloud has a silver lining: these events will cost him his 2020 re-election.
Ai No Corrida (1980) by Chaz Jankel
artist, lyrics, video, Wiki-1, Wiki-2
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless stated otherwise.
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