Lessons from Lockdown

 

What we have learnt so far.

This is a disease that emanates from rich counties.  But it’s the poor countries that are suffering.  We in the West are largely being inconvenienced.  The real suffering in happening in the poorer countries of the world where there is hunger and needless death. (No big bank loans and furloughs there.) https://www.statista.com/statistics/1104709/coronavirus-deaths-worldwide-per-million-inhabitants/

The people who are at risk of death in the West do not exist in the same numbers in poorer countries.  This is an illustration of one of the greatest inequalities present in the world and suggests “Rich Lives Matter”.

Is it polio? Or is it flu?  We cannot decide.  Are we trying to eradicate it, or find a way to live with it?

We, as a society, embrace the religion of science.  It is the vaccine that will save us. 

We forget:-

1)      Up to 80% of people do not seem to be affected. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/50-percent-of-people-with-covid19-not-aware-have-virus#How-transmission-works

2)      The research shows around 80% efficacy of the vaccine.  However we should expect this if the above research is factual. https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n18

3)      It might be that people of ethnic minorities are more reluctant to have the vaccine because they are less scared of dying.  The vaccine’s significance is less to people who see this life as a step along the way.  It is well known that the UK’s ethnic minority communities have a stronger faith in God.

So finally a quiz- Furloughed or not Furloughed?

Ø  Bailiffs (Eviction ban extended to end of March except for nasty neighbours)

Ø  Doormen / women (The job that limits touchpoint contamination)

Ø  Lollipop Ladies/ Men (children still need to cross the road safely to school!)

What is the etymology of the word furlough?  https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/furlough