There are so many conflicting reports, advice messages and news items on the corona virus going around at the moment that it is difficult to know what to do. Today I watched a video by a young Czech woman who recommends the continual use of face masks by everyone when out in public, which she says they have been doing all the time and the virus has not been able to gain a foothold because of this. Doctors report that a face mask is unnecessary unless you are infected or you are in direct contact with people who have been infected, such as Doctors and Nurses etc., what to do?
I have been doing some reading, after all I have the time. Here are some interesting excerpts;
The first is from an interview in Globes on 22nd March (just the other day), Dr. Yoram Lass, an Israeli physician, former Director General of the Health Ministry and also associate Dean of the Tel Aviv University Medical School;
"Italy is known for its enormous morbidity in respiratory problems, more than three times any other European country. In the US about 40,000 people die in a regular flu season and so far 40 - 50 people have died of the coronavirus, most of them in a nursing home in Washington."
"In every country more people die from regular flu compared with those who die from coronavirus"
"There is a very good example that we all forget: The Swine flu in 2009. That was a virus that originated in Mexico and until today there is no vaccination against it. But what? At that time there was no facebook or there maybe was but it was in its infancy. The coronavirus, in contrast is a virus with public relations."
"Whoever thinks that governments end viruses is wrong."
The first sentence refers to Italy's major problem but apparently the air pollution in, particularly the north is as bad as China, I wasn't aware of this.
The next is from an article in the Washington Post on 21st March; "Facing Covid-19 reality; a national lockdown is no cure" by Michael T. Osterholm, regents professor and director of the center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota;
"Consider the effects of shutting down offices, schools, transport systems, restaurants, hotels, stores, theaters, concert halls, sporting events and other venues indefinitely and leaving all of their workers unemployed and on the dole. The likely result would be not just a depression but a complete economic breakdown with countless permanently lost jobs, long before a vaccine is ready or natural immunity takes hold."
"The best alternative will probably entail letting those at low risk for serious disease continue to work, keeping business and manufacturing operating and run society, while at the same time advising higher risk individuals to protect themselves through physical distancing and ramping up our healthcare capacity as aggresively as possible. With this battle plan we could gradually build up immunity without destroying the financial structures on which our lives are based."
I don't know what to think, these people obviously know what they are talking about, were people like this consulted? Food for thought.
I haven't needed to leave the house yet although I must admit to a bit of "cabin fever". Sorry about the boring posts, tomorrow I will post about motorbikes. I have to put the garbage out tomorrow morning, there's something to look forward to - what shall I wear?
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