COVID-19 - Pointing Fingers
It has been nearly one month since my last post on COVID-19, on March 25, 2020 (here). And I usually start my posts on the subject by comparing and commenting in details on the totals with my previous posts, but I won't do it this time.
It is too painful, as the totals went up to a staggering 2,407,415 infected cases in the world as of today April 20, 2020 (4:33 GMT) from 423,000 infected cases worldly back then. That's a jump of nearly 2 million people in less than a month (*).
And I'm speechless and so sorry, and upset at the same time, about this whole situation.
Moreover, and more importantly, I'm worried and anxious for my family and friends in France, the UK and the US, (and everywhere else for that matter), which are within the top 10 of the most affected countries in the world.
The governments of the Western world could have anticipated...
Despite the governments of these countries being aware of the dangerousness of the virus since January, their reactions, decisions and actions to protect their citizens and provide them with protective materials to help counter the virus and limit its propagation, were literally non-existent for the past few months until very recently.
Their lack of concern toward the seriousness of the whole situation, as well as their lack of anticipation, preparation and prevention to the virus high transmissibility and rapid propagation, created havoc in many ways and generated many casualties, fears and incomprehension, and inevitably resulted in drastic measures to be taken and put in place.
Clearly, the government handling and management of the whole virus situation in these 3 countries (France, US and UK, as well as in Spain and Italy to a certain extent) have been, at best, misleading, confusing, hazardous and chaotic, not to say catastrophic. Even their respective leader's speeches were convoluted to the point of being incomprehensible and useless as giving no clear indications, directions, plans nor procedures to follow.
The population were unnecessarily put at risk due to the nonchalance and the distant attitude, not to say "unconcerned" attitude, and the lateness in decisions making and actions taking, displayed by the governments of these 3 countries over the last few months, (as well as some from other occidental countries). Totally appalling and irresponsible as some people died because of it.
If the governments of these countries had taken the seriousness of the whole situation into consideration since January, had been prepared and taken the proper decisions, initiatives, measures and actions to prevent the virus from propagating as fast and freely as it did over the last 3 months, the situation will have probably not worsened so rapidly and probably not reached such extent either.
But, here we are now, facing an "unprecedented" pandemic affecting millions of people around the globe caused by a seemingly uncontrollable and unstoppable coronavirus that some governments failed to take seriously early enough to protect their people.
If they had been less oblivious regarding the threat and danger of the virus and acted as early as mid-January, the whole situation may have looked slightly different by now and the totals of infected cases, including the number of deaths, may have been drastically lower than they are today.
Back in early January, when the news of an epidemic spreading in China came out, and while watching what was unfolding there and the beginning of the spread in the surrounding countries, "they" (meaning Europe and US, as the leading political, economical and financial countries in the world) could have decided not to ignore the threat, and at least, put in place some precaution and prevention measures, as well as check their safety procedures and protective and medical materials stocks, to be prepared and ready in the case of an eventual pandemic.
Moreover, they could have easily anticipated the fact that it might probably come one day and be prepared for it. As, (and that is the reason why I put "unprecedented" in parentheses), this is the 5th world pandemic over the last 100 years (or so) (***).
1918-1920 Pandemic (H1N1 virus) nicknamed the "Spanish Flu" and the deadliest pandemic to date with an estimated 500 million infected and an estimated amount of deaths ranging from 17 million to 50 million worldwide
1957-1958 Pandemic (H2N2 virus) nicknamed the "Asian Flu" killed an estimated 1 million persons around the world (at least, as it is believed that it may have killed up to 4 million in total)
1968-1969 Pandemic (H3N2 virus) nicknamed the "Hong Kong Flu" killed an estimated 1 million persons around the world
2009 H1N1 Pandemic (H1N1pdm09 virus) nicknamed the "Swine Flu" and officially killed 18,036 persons worldwide (as per the official numbers), while it is estimated that as many as 575,000 may have died from it
And even in terms of serious epidemics, Chinese and Hong Kongese still have in mind SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) believed to have occurred in November 2002 in China before spreading through Hong Kong, and by July 2003 more than 8,000 infected cases and 774 deaths had been reported.
So, it is not like if the US or Europe (or any other countries for that matter) did not know or could not prepare for this current pandemic earlier. More especially, in the US, where a few presidents warned already a few times (long prior to COVID-19) about the eventuality and the possibility of upcoming pandemics:
In 2005, President George W. Bush evoked the possibility of an influenza pandemic and the necessity to prepare for it and prevent from a possible outbreak (a speech probably indirectly made in relation with SARS in 2003) (watch the video here)
In 2009, President Barack Obama, while dealing with the H1N1spreading in the US, made a speech about the strong necessity for the US to be more prepared,
In 2014, President Obama made another speech to be prepared and ready for other eventual pandemics in the near future and/or the next decade to come (watch the video here)
In 2015, Bill Gates made a TED talk speaking about the high probability of a virus pandemic in the near future and the necessity to take the threat seriously and be prepared for it. The way he talked and the show it displayed that day were at the same time both impressive and scary, almost like he knew something was coming. (watch the short video here)
These are just a few examples, but in fact, many scientists, doctors and other experts have been talking about the eventuality and/or the possibility of pandemics with deadly viruses for the last 2-3 decades.
Needless to mention the fact that each of these previous viruses, that appeared over the last 100 years, starting with the "Spanish Flu" right at the end of WWI, and more especially all the other ones that appeared/occurred since, right after WWII, have been the subjects of countless studies, theories, projects and researches ever since for various purposes in the various P4 (Biosafety Level 4 laboratory) around the world. (****)
Therefore, the western world, the US and Europe had no excuse not to be prepared and ready to face a pandemic of such amplitude.
But No! They did not. They did not learn their lessons from the past and therefore were not prepared nor ready to face COVID-19.
They did not want to listen to the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations. They refused to see the imminence of the threat of a potential pandemic in the making. Despite alarming signs and facts already known as early as mid-January, they ignored the danger the spreading of the virus and its high transmissibility represented and how fast it will reach them. They ignored and continued to deny the urgency and gravity of the situation until it was already there and had already severely affected hundreds, even thousands of people.
They put the blame and the responsibility of the whole situation on everything and everyone else but themselves. They are now blaming and pointing fingers at China, without acknowledging all the bad decisions they have taken and the mistakes they have made in the last 10-15 years, which inevitably led to the situation they put their own respective country in.
But one day, in the aftermath of the pandemic, the truth will have to be said and heard. And the blame and consequences will go to those who are really to blame. And whether China is accidentally or deliberately involved with this global pandemic situation, or not, does not prevent the leaders and governments of the west from not being blamed for what they did (or didn't should I say) and/or not taking the blame for not being able to handle and manage the situation properly in their respective countries.
The governments of most western European countries and the US countries did not take the seriousness and the gravity of the situation into consideration, in time and place, when they were supposed to. They had a very lackadaisical attitude towards it for months prior to act accordingly to the growing danger of the situation.
In the US, the Trump administration even ended the pandemic early-warning program set a few years back in 2014 by the Obama administration after the Ebola outbreak in Africa. (*****)
And look at where we are now...
As per the supposedly "official" numbers, the US has the most amount of affected people in the world, with nearly 800,000 infected cases including more than 40,000 deaths, while they were thinking they were fully prepared and had the situation totally under control about a month ago.
And even with the late confinement measures and restrictions that have been put in place, the virus continues spreading rapidly as people are still contesting the rules and restrictions in fear of losing their "freedom" of movements and privacy.
Aparté about the illusion "Freedom"
As an aparté, to my fellow Americans who still believe they are living in a free country, with freedom of speech and decisions and actions, I will say that you are foolish to still believe it and you are completely oblivious to reality.
Freedom is an illusion and has always been, more especially over the last 15-20 years with the advance of technologies used in your personal computers and smartphones and with the ever-increasingly complex algorithms of the various social media you deliberately and willingly give all your information to, on a daily basis.
People in the US and in Europe are protesting as they do not want to be tracked and under constant surveillance, once again in fear of losing their "freedom", but, in reality, we are tracked and under surveillance every day, and we have been for years now.
So, you may protest to display and express your discontent, but you probably won't have a choice anyway. You will fall into the trap one way or another, willingly or not, and you will have to abide by the rules, as "the deciders have decided what you must do" and "they will use force to make you do what they want you to do". (Rings the bell? Wink to "Rage Against the Machine").
And don't think it only happens in the communist or totalitarian and dictatorial regimes of the East, it is the same in the western world, in Europe and in the US (and pretty much everywhere else too).
And, please, do not involve God or say that God will decide on your path and faith, and what will happen, as God has nothing to do with all that. God does not make choices or take decisions for you, you do (or eventually someone else does, but not God). God did not put the government of your country in place, either, you did with your vote and opinions, no one else.
Also, please stop including God in all your stories and stop asking God to forgive your bad actions, attitudes and behaviors towards others, and even yourself, as God did not guide you to do these things nor did God ask you to behave this or that way, you did it yourself. It is too easy to always put things into God's hands and only when it conveniently fits your particular needs.
Moreover, I truly believe that "God helps those who help themselves", meaning that before appealing to God, one must know how to make the necessary efforts and adopt the right attitude when facing adversity. In other words, before complaining or revert to God for answers or leaving fate up to God, one must examine and try all possible solutions. Once the efforts are accomplished, then, and only then, one can turn to Providence.
To conclude on the subject of "freedom" and further prove that we are tracked and under surveillance, every day, you just have to look around you and judge for yourself.
Cameras are everywhere in the streets and most public places. More police and private security drones are in the air in most cities. And as geolocalisation is always on, your smartphone is the best tracking and surveillance device there is (to date), as it knows your every move and every action.
Facial and voice recognition are also a thing. So, not only the front and back camera of your cellphone can be controlled without you knowing it, but also the microphone of your cellphone can listen and records things without you knowing it.
Smartphones are even now used for behavior patterns recognition, to detect both normal and unusual events, as well as to identify personalized "normal" daily behavior patterns and any other unusual events occurring in people daily activities, by analyzing the "common" daily activities, location, and audio sensor data collected from the user's phone. (Scary)
You daily behavior pattern data are even collected for things you search or even write. Algorithms are so detailed and complex nowadays they can almost even anticipate what you need (before you need it) by studying your eyes pattern and where you look and what you are looking at on a screen by defining the movement pattern of your eyes and control the advertisement you are seeing based on what you just had a look at a moment ago.
Ever noticed lately, for example, that you've just looked at a specific image of something, somewhere while browsing online (website, social media, etc...) on your smartphone, and a few seconds later most of the appearing ads you see are about that very specific thing?
In fact, ALL the searches and things you write, download, save, and even the pictures, memes, articles and videos you post on daily basis, etc... all of these are saved and retrievable and can even be used against you if they fall in the wrong hand or if they are requested by a third party on behalf of your boss checking on you and/or for an investigation, and, to a certain extent, can even be manipulated to put you in a bad situation.
So, where is your freedom in that? I'm asking you, do you really think you are free? Think again.
Let's close this "aparté", and go back to the main subject of this post.
I was talking about the US and European governments...
Looking at the US, UK and France, (Italy and Spain put aside), it is now clear that the governments were completely unconcerned by the virus. Each of them having to deal with and being more concerned by their already difficult ongoing economical, financial and political problems, facing people's protests and contestations for months prior to the virus.
Trump facing daily criticism and outrage from a large part of the American population for being... well...Trump (and ferociously fighting back with Tweets). Boris Johnson and his Brexit. And Macron having to deal with the ever long-lasting "Gilet Jaune" situation atop of other things. Clearly too busy with the problems and situations they created themselves to really see it coming, in fact.
Thus, they did not anticipate, were not prepared (despite what they are saying) and were not (until very recently) able to handle and deal with the situation. And even now the situation remains dire. Masks and hand-sanitizers are still not available for the population, and even if requested in priority for patients and medical staff, they are still not enough. Medical equipment has been missing until now too, while clearly available in other countries.
It is a very paradoxical situation very poorly handled and undermanaged by the governments of these countries, which greatly contributed to the population's confusion, lack of respect for authority and disobedient attitudes towards the various restrictions and the late mandatory confinement put in place that could have been easily avoided, (like here in Hong Kong and other countries where none of these was needed).
For example, wearing a mask as early as possible could have tremendously helped to limit the propagation as the virus is highly transmissible via mouth droplets coming out when spiting (saliva), sneezing, coughing or even speaking.
Yet, in the US, the UK and France, wearing a mask was never made mandatory nor recommended at first and was even forbidden to be sold or even distributed until very recently, when, to the opposite to what was believed and said before, it was suddenly recommended and even made mandatory in some cases. Talking about misleading messages. Go figure.
Their speech about confinement was also controversial changing from we won't put the country under confinement to we might do it and ended up being we have no other choice but to do it. Again, misleading, confusing messages, complete mishandling of the situation and total lack of leadership.
In fact, listening to the governments of these 3 countries speeches on the coronavirus situation over the last 3 months, it is hard to clearly define a line between the lies, the misinformation and/or disinformation, the wrong and misleading messages, the lack of transparent communication and the political, financial and economical agenda mingled with them.
Anyhow, I won't extrapolate on this particular point, as I'm neither a political or economical nor a financial expert.
All I can say is that people have lost their trust in these leaders and their respective governments, which have failed to protect them by acting/reacting too late, not being prepared nor ready while saying they were, thus unnecessarily putting them at risk and exposing them to danger. After, they misinformed and mislead them with unclear information and false promises and continued to do so all along, for example, by telling people and medical staff that they will have masks, scrubs, lab coat, protective visor, gloves, virus tests and other protective stuff and medical materials, while we are already 4 months into the pandemic.
So, ...
How can they still be trusted if they keep misleading people into what to do or not and changing their mind, as well as lying, making false promises and delaying the coming of desperately needed stuff and materials while more people are getting infected or even dying? How?
How can they still be trusted when they release billions of dollars to help the banks, the lobbyists and the biggest companies in an effort to boost the economy, while medium to small businesses are closing and people are losing their jobs facing job, money and life uncertainty for months to come with barely or no help from the government? How?
How can they still be trusted when they display such a lack of leadership, decision-making, action-taking, and overall understanding of the situation and how it really affects all the people at all the levels of their respective countries? How?
I could continue for a while as the "guilt trip" list to the governments is quite long, but I will stop there, as you get the point I'm trying to make.
Now let's talk about the people in the US and Europe...
And don't me wrong, but besides being largely the government's fault, people have their part of guilt too in all of this.
In Europe, for example, some people did not even care and were acting as if it was a Chinese thing, far from them, and in any cases relied on and were waiting for the governments to tell them what to do (as always). And were even defiant or disobedient in regard to whatever the government was saying or asking.
So, not only these governments were not concerned and did not do the right things they were supposed to do, early enough, to protect the citizens of their respective countries, but the people also displayed inappropriate attitudes and behaviours and did not abide by the rules put in place to protect them.
And consequently, confinement began...
The situation worsened rapidly in western Europe, and with no other choices, drastic measures had to be taken and put in place for the people to stay home, obey, respect and abide by the rules to prevent the propagation. But it was way too late already, and despite being done to protect everyone, some did not care and continued their little business as usual like if nothing happened, putting at risk the health and life of others, with no remorse, nor regrets either.
Xenophobia and racism (and even antisemitism), as well as right-wing populism, white supremacist and nationalist movements, started to rise in the US and Western Europe. In Paris, for example, all Asians (with no distinction nor differentiation made) were treated as if they were Chinese natives coming directly from Wuhan (even if they were born or living in France for years), with people proffering insults or offensive body language in a sign of disgust, to the point of even crossing the street to change side not to walk on the same pavement.
Stupidity has no limit! TV and social media already had a good display of it, but looking at the rise of the xenophobes, racists, antisemites, political and/or religious extremists, white supremacists, nationalists, whistleblowers and other selfish and egocentric morons and mongers, this coronavirus pandemic has uncovered the faces of a larger (than anticipated) number of stupid people around the globe.
Consequently, the virus spread even further (and it is still spreading) due to the lack of common sense as well as the lack of individual and collective civicism (**) displayed by a majority of people at first, especially in the US and Western Europe.
However, in Europe, after about one month of confinement, people started to behave and realize that it was maybe the only way to go back to what could resemble a seemingly "normal" life. Logically, the numbers of infected and deaths started to "very slightly" decrease and the situation got somewhat better (in some of the European countries).
Yet, although it also started to work a little in some part of the US, as said previously above, it was without taking into consideration the people's fear of losing their "Freedom" and losing their jobs and daily way of living.
Unemployment might only be the tip of the iceberg...
With now more than 22 million unemployed people in the US due to the coronavirus COVID-19 situation, some Americans, in certain states, have recently been taking the streets of their cities in protest against the confinement, (even encouraged by Trump to protest against their respective governors), arguing to reopen the country and go back to work. Even claiming that no one can tell them what to do and that they are free to do whatever they want, and need to get their life and jobs back in order to be able to live and survive.
Which is understandable to a certain extent, more especially when you understand how life works in the US. Let me try to explain what I'm trying to say.
To complement what I already wrote above, about "Freedom", I will say that in the US, "Freedom" is, even more, an illusion than anywhere else, as, despite small governmental protection granted by having a US Social Security number, like in any capitalist system, most services are not government-based nor provided for free either. And that is the main problem of capitalism, which is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and services, and their operation for profit. In short, nothing is free!
Basically, in the US, if you don't have money, you can't live or survive! Simple as that! In the US, most mainstream jobs don't offer any staff insurance nor medical or dental cover. Therefore, if you don't have enough money to pay for personal insurance (life insurance, etc...) and/or medical/dental insurance, and if you don't or can't qualify for Medicaid, then you're f**ked (you're in the shit, to be polite). And the government won't help. As I always say, the US is the country of "Everyone for himself and God for us all"... (sigh)...
Therefore, although some of their reactions, contestations and protestations are understandable (to a certain extent), people also need to understand that crowding in protests, defying the confinement and not abiding by the rules will surely not help to limit but instead contribute to the propagation and spreading of the virus.
So, ok you want to do whatever you want, have your "freedom" and go back to your life like if nothing happened because you cannot live or survive otherwise. It is somewhat understandable. However, as a citizen and as part of your civil rights, you also have the responsibility to protect yourself, your love ones and your community, and therefore to keep them safe from harm by not exposing them to any eventual threat or danger caused by your zealous need of protecting your freedom of thought, speech, religion, press, assembly, and/or movement.
With the increase of gun sales in the last few weeks in the US, and knowing that some Americans have a penchant for firearms and won't hesitate to use them if felt threatened in any way, and watching (on the news and reportages on the subject) how some of them have already reached some extremes in their opinions and ways of thinking, I'm worried violence could easily escalate generating both riots and uprising.
Let's hope the situation will not go that far, as I fear for my family and friends in the US.
Yet, the recent anti-quarantine and anti-lockdown protests and uprisings in the streets of various states, with nonsense and out-of-proportion revendications, explicit signs raising eyebrows, some even displaying racist connotations, including people carrying Confederate flags and even guns, (some apparently part of white-supremacist, far-right and/or nationalist group or movement), coupled with increasing job-losses and lack of governmental protection for those who can't afford personal insurance and/or can't qualify for Medicaid, and consequently can't afford of falling sick as nobody else could provide for them and/or their family, are early signs of a situation that could easily escalate at some point.
Unavoidably, some people facing the situation of having no job and no money, and maybe no home, and consequently no choice and no more means to sustain themselves and their family might easily fall into the "dark side" and start looting stores and pillage houses. On the opposite side, the one being loot or pillaged might need to protect himself and/or his family by any means necessary and may use a firearm if he or she has to.
And unfortunately, the situation might escalate and come to that point, in the not so distant future, especially if the current scenario in the US (and in Europe) continues for a few more months. The situation is dire and critical, and it is scaring me, to say the least.
Here is a tweet (below) that resumes quite well the situation. It is not mine, I wish it was as it is so brilliant and clever. I let you reflect on it. It might take a few seconds for some of you to get it, but that's ok, as long as you understand it. And if you don't, there is not much I can do for you (Google or a dictionary might help though).
Enough with the US and Europe for now, let's talk about Hong Kong a little
I'm lucky to live in Hong Kong, where, despite whatever some people may say about the HK government, prevention and precaution measures were taken and immediately put in place, as early as mid-January, to keep the population safe from harm and limit the propagation of the virus. And it worked as we are currently still one of the less affected countries/regions in the world.
Also, in contrast to most occidental countries and paradoxically when you look at our position and geolocalisation, as China's direct neighbour, and therefore first in line to be potentially more infected than any others, no measure as drastic as "confinement" was taken nor needed here in Hong Kong.
Thanks to the awareness and experience of the Hong Kongese people who still have the SARS epidemic of 2003 in mind and reacted immediately by wearing a mask and keeping distances (without having the government to tell them to do so) since early January.
Thanks also to HK government for their fast response and quick initiative on closing the frontiers with China early enough to prevent from an eventual rapid propagation of the virus via the million of people usually crossing the border to and from, on a daily basis.
And also, thanks for equipping the police and medical staff for them to check and control people's temperature, condition and provide awareness, information, and even care if needed, at each point of the border openings, as well as in airports, train and bus stations, to screen the infected people and immediately isolate them from the rest of the population.
As early as mid-February, all flights and trains and buses from (and to) outside Hong Kong were restrained, then considerably restricted, and a mandatory quarantine of 14 days for all people passing by or returning to HK was imposed, which also helps to limit and somehow even contain the propagation of the virus. Tracking wristband and 14 days quarantine have been mandatory since March 19 for all people coming from outside Hong Kong.
We went through 3-4 weeks of hysteria and panic-shopping late January, early February, during which toilet paper, paper towels, tissues, rice, pasta, canned food as well as cleaning products and other household essential products went missing and were extremely difficult to find. People had to queue for hours at some supermarkets, drug stores and pharmacies and other points of sales to get some, and again in very limited quantity per person. Most coming back empty-handed even after trying every day for a week.
During that period, weekends were mostly spent on goose-chase journeys in public transports or cars or taxis across the city to desperately try to find certain needed things. People were trying their luck everywhere they could. Some even verbally or even physically fighting for it, so desperate and scared they were.
Masks were also impossible to find during these few weeks. I have personally witnessed lines of a few thousands of people waiting, for some even from the previous day in tents, to be the first in line at a point of sale announced a few days earlier, even knowing that there were only enough masks for the first few hundreds. It was both scary and sad.
Back late January, I had to order some washable and reusable masks on Amazon, from the US, as I could not find any here in Hong Kong and I needed some for my little family (my wife and our kids). It was a good decision as I bought enough for each of us 4 to rotate them every day for 1 week (meaning 7 per person if you prefer).
And, at the end of the day, and despite what some people and doctors may say, I do believe that washable and reusable masks protect as well and as much as disposable masks, which in my opinion are useless as they are only usable for 4 hours up to 12 hours maximum and contribute to the pollution as millions are thrown away every day.
Washable and reusable masks are surely less profitable, (for the capitalists and lobbyists, who are trying to make a profit even out of desperately needed life saving protective stuff), but they are definitely better for the environment and protect all the same (in my opinion).
Moreover, wearing a mask is not only or necessarily to protect yourself, but mostly to protect others. It is your responsibility to wear a mask to protect yourself, as well as your loved ones, and in consideration for others health and well being too.
Some family members and friends also sent me some disposable masks from the US, France and UK. A favour that I wasn't able to return later on, as it was forbidden for them to wear masks back at that time, and roughly for the following 2 months, until more recently, when some governments in Europe and the US, finally realized the necessity of them and changed their mind, and wearing a mask suddenly became recommended or even mandatory in these countries.
However, compared with the rest of the world, and despite the roughness of the protests of last year, Hong Kong still remains a fairly safe and secure place to be and to live. It was true prior to the pandemic, and it is still true now, as, while half on the world is in confinement with the number of infected cases increasing a little every day, Hong Kong is still amongst the countries/regions the least affected by the virus, with an official total of 1,034 cases, including only 4 deaths (so far) and 678 recovered (as of 23 April 2020 6:43GMT).
And we have never been in confinement here in Hong Kong, either. Most public areas and places, as well as schools, have been closed since January 30th. Children are staying at home and continue to study by watching their teacher's courses via video conferences every day (and have a tone of homework too, sometimes up to 22h30 during the week and long hours during weekends too). Some companies, like the one I'm working for decided to stay open, yet, overall, a lot of companies have ceased their work for the past one or two months already due to lack of business.
Therefore, HK is still alive, buzzing with people in the streets, in the bars, cafés and restaurants, especially on weekends, and at work too for quite a few people, when not teleworking (working from home). However, that said, business is slow, really slow, so slow that some financial tension can be felt by most companies, with difficulties to pay their employees on time or even altogether, or asking them to take unpaid leave. I feel somehow lucky that I'm still getting paid and that I still have a job. Yet, at this pace, for how long?
These are difficult times we are living due to that pandemic, and no one really knows what will unfold next...
Like these eggs above, no matter what is the color of your skin, where you came from, what is your gender, ethnicity, religion or belief, this COVID-19 virus cannot tell the difference and doesn't know any boundaries.
Understandably, we are all in the same basket, yet each of us is experiencing and living through this pandemic very differently from one another...
...but this will be the subject of my next post, where I will try to give my point of view on why, despite the fact that we are all in this together, not everyone sees the situation the same way.
Thank you for reading this very lengthy post. Hoping it triggered some questions in your mind and maybe had you reflect a little on what you read in it. And if you liked it, please stay tuned for my next post on the subject mentioned above.
In the meantime: Be and stay safe. Be strong. Be patient. Be nice, considerate and helpful with others. And take good care of yourself and your loved ones. We will only prevail if we stay united and in peace with each other.
Love, hugs and thoughts to my family and friends in HK, France, the UK and the US (and the rest of the world too).
Domelgabor
(*) Main sources:
(**) Civism or Civicism: from the Latin word "civis", designates respect for the citizen for the community in which he lives and its conventions, including its law. The doctrine that all citizens have the same rights and obligations. Civism or Civicism (often translated as citizenship) therefore implies knowledge of one's rights as well as one's duties towards society.
(****) Conspiracy theories: supposedly, projects in the "name of science", yet, some conspiracy theories will surely tell you otherwise, "genetic modifications for military purposes", etc... but I won't dwell on those, this neither the point nor the place of this post, and you can do your own research to find them if it is the kind of thing you drool for.
(****) P4 (Biosafety level 4 laboratory) There are officially about 30 places housing Biosafety level 4 laboratories (BSL-4) around the world, 15 of them being in the US alone. (Wikipedia page here)
(*****) In 2014, following the Ebola outbreak in Africa, President Barack Obama set up a Global Health Security unit (in charge of permanent epidemic monitoring and command) at the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Council to coordinate policies among key federal agencies and respond to potential global pandemics. It was shut down by the Trump administration in May 2018. And also that year cuts in the budget to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) were proposed by the Trump administration, forcing the CDC to reduce by a large percentage its efforts to combat global disease outbreaks like the coronavirus.
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