According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization (WHO), upwards of 646,000 people die worldwide from yearly seasonal influenza. Yet, each winter flu season businesses, schools, and the world, in general, don’t shut down. They have for the coronavirus known as Covid-19.
WHO proclaimed a pandemic and the broadcast news media sprang to action to fan the fires of panic. Panic puts viewership and ratings on steroids. 24-hour broadcast news outlets need something to fill all that time and they will milk this Covid-19 cow for all it’s worth.
Covid-19 is a virus with flu-like symptoms that can be avoided with the same measures one would take to avoid catching a cold or common flu – washing hands regularly, covering mouth and nose for a cough or sneeze. Many people have been exposed to Covid -19 virus and the majority recover or are never even sick, but we don’t hear about these cases. The good news doesn't sell and it threatens the profitable panic.
Where has rationality and perspective gone? Cities and towns worldwide are on lockdown by governments swept up in the frenzy. People’s rights are being infringed upon by irrational Covid-19 prevention policies, and abuse of power in the name of public safety is on the rise.
For some governments, however, Covid-19 has proved tragic but also convenient. Italy, France, and Spain daily report large death counts related to Covid-19. Yet populous neighboring countries such as Germany, Austria, and The Netherlands have had drastically far fewer deaths. A healthy dose of skepticism might have one asking if these numbers from Italy, France, and Spain are being exaggerated for political or other reasons: Italy’s migration woes, France’s street protests, Spain’s separatist movement. Cynical perhaps. But there is something wrong with this picture. Are all elderly deaths being attributed to Covid-19 virus in these countries whether they are or not?
On Curacao, until very recently cooler heads prevailed. Rational, sensible steps in prevention were taken by the government, businesses, and residents. But now only food stores and pharmacies are open. Healthy activities like cycling, swimming in the ocean, and nature walks are forbidden. Fishing is forbidden and so on. There is no evidence of Covid-19 virus floating in the sea or lurking in the trees, so why have decisions like this been made? With Hato airport closed, a population already at low risk should not be placed on lockdown.
Finally, there are the huge economic costs from this gross overreaction by governments around the globe. The lack of a common sense approach to this situation by politicians and doctors alike will be very expensive. There are voices of reason in the world, thankfully, with some government leaders calling for an end to this “pandemic” madness. But they are mostly ignored by the news media or labeled “virus deniers”.
Irrationality has taken over when sanity should be the order of the day. It’s time for the adults to re-enter the room and put an end to the hysteria.
