CoronaVirus
Update
From Day One I suspected this was NOT a plague but just another form of Flu. Put it this way; Covid19 is a CoronaVirus; so, I gather is a cold or flu. I suspect, too, it doesn’t KILL very many but it prompts other illnesses to become lethal. So somebody with tired lungs, especially the elderly or smokers, and frail immune system, such as diabetics, or the obese, can catch it and it will develop into pneumonia or other sometimes lethal conditions.

But, from watching Wuhan, it appeared to me it was different from the media inflated plague being sold by papers, TV, radio, social media.

Avoid panic, I reckoned; find out the reality; act accordingly. A total lockdown if needed. More likely, far increased concentration on the vulnerable (care homes, hospitals, hospices, refugee camps, prisons) and better treatment of the seriously affected (ventilators etc).

Indeed, since I was in two vulnerable categories, I bought two things - a really good, tight, expensive face mask and several canisters of oxygen for emergencies.

Most of my friends disagreed with me. This was a plague. One agreed with that strange man who predicts doom every time there’s a scare (MERS, SARS) that Covid19 would kill 50 million.

A few commentators (Peter Hitchens; Matthew Parris) agreed with me; this should not be allowed to become a PanicDemic. But four countries DID do that (correctly if the media coverage was right). Italy; Spain; France and the UK.

Now, as the first wave of the epidemic dies away, we see 97% of countries have less than 1000 deaths. A few more with huge populations (USA, Brazil, Russia, China) have many deaths but, in ratio, not a lot. Only 4 countries have had over 25,000 deaths.

It is clear that for the vast majority (95%) Covid19 is a trivial virus. For the remaining 5% it can be very serious and for about 1% lethal.

Hopefully this will make the next inevitable wave (like Flu and probably next winter) able to be treated in a far wiser way. Concentration on total lockdown for hot spots (high density towns). Immediate treatment for those badly affected (ventilators, oxygen, lying on front). And then there should be a vaccine.

We didn’t panic in 2018 when 50,000 died in 3 months due to the wrong Flu vaccine in England & Wales. Like Covid19, many deaths were from connected but not caused by Flu. We must not panic when Wave 2 of Covid19 hits later this year. And we must NOT panic when a new virus (Covid20?) hits.

But the world is so easily led by media. As media concentrates on interviewing not only sobbing relatives but the cured, the message that this is a dreadful plague for everyone continues to spread.

Not a bad thing with hygiene. I’ve now been in 5 star hotels and the increase is stunning. buttons in lifts and elevators are wiped every few minutes. Staff won’t push knobs in rooms - they make clients do it. The barrage of rubbish magazines and notices are consigned to bins (thank God) but now it’s almost impossible to find what’s available for room service and when you get your order it is delivered by the SAS probably trained by Israeli intelligence (sorry Maxine & Rebecca).

Gullibility is SO infectious. I know. This is the man who made millions buy Leap Up And Down Wave Your Knickers In The Air!