Dawn of affliction

As I pen this missive I am acutely aware of the global shutdown of daily life to which we have become accustomed. The consequence of this extinguishing of a significant component of interaction has been the devastating trauma inflicted upon the global economy. The die is however cast and for all the reasons that I will attempt to enumerate, the process will continue inexorably to its as yet undefined end-point. Thereafter we shall emerge into a new and profoundly changed space – hopefully a new dawn.

How did we get to this point?

Based on the information presented to us by the media, purporting to convey the ‘facts’ that originate from the ‘experts’ and those in positions of authority, a Corona-type virus hereafter named Covid-19 allegedly emerged from a wet market in China and jumped species to commence its infection of the Human subgroup. Thereafter, as a result of high intensity global travel, the virus established bridgeheads in multiple regions of our ravaged planet.

While it is verified that a viral organism was isolated in terms of its genetics and antigenicity, Koch's Postulates have not been fulfilled. For an organism to be established as the causative agent for an illness, the four Koch's Postulates have to be fulfilled. The Postulates are summarized as follows:

The pathogen (virus in this case) must be present in all cases of the disease

The pathogen must be isolated from the diseased host and grown in pure culture

The pathogen from the pure culture must cause the same disease when inoculated into a healthy, susceptible laboratory animal

The pathogen must be re-isolated from the new host and shown to be the same as the originally infecting pathogen

There are some further observations which are of significance:

Young children for the most part do not seem to become afflicted with the same illness despite being colonized by the same virus and thereby becoming the source of further spread.

There is a significant discrepancy in infection and mortality rates between the Northern and Southern hemispheres, with the current winter-based Northern Hemisphere suffering the lion’s share of illness.

The vast majority of those testing positive for viral presence are either asymptomatic or have a very mild illness. Only approximately fifteen percent experience a more serious illness with only approximately one point five percent succumbing. Those that are most ill and/or succumb are for the most part in an older age group and invariably have co-morbidities (other illnesses).

We are exposed to the images 24/7 of the dead and dying in clinics which can no longer cope with the influx of the afflicted. At this time the focus is upon Northern Italy. Yet in the winter of 2016-2017 in Italy, the death date due to seasonal flu was 43,336 – ten times more than the current Covid-19 mortality!

Yet the powers that be decided in their wisdom to apply blanket lockdown conditions and implement social distancing in all its forms including distant travel. The negative consequences of this action include the following:

Immunity to the virus will be stifled since our immune systems need to be stimulated by the organism. This will leave a significant proportion of the population vulnerable to future waves of infection.

Inter-human contact is a fundamental requirement for neuropsychological wellbeing and secondarily for sustaining healthy immune function – the very physiology that we’re depending upon to protect us!

The extinguishing of significant economic activity will result in considerable hardships, affecting the less affluent and indeed the more impoverished members of our communities. This will be long-lasting, based on the degree of enforcement.

It is my personal contention that the current policies that have been implemented are inappropriate and self-defeating in the long term. Major clinical centers have successfully dealt with much larger numbers of afflicted in the past and triage has been humanely and effectively implemented when required.

I personally have very little doubt that the behaviour of our species reflects a great collective fear which has been fed by fear itself and fanned by the mass media and those with malfeasant agenda's. Our fear has emerged as we progressively divorced ourselves from our true essence and that of others and the environment. The values perpetuated by consumerism and the obsession with self at the expense of all others has created a culture of narcissistic insensitivity. Symptomatically it has manifest as disparaging judgementalism, fragmenting us and creating unjustified and unnecessary conflict.

Yes, this must and will now play out. And thereafter will emerge a New Dawn. It is my hope and indeed my belief that the new dawn will incorporate lessons learned. I truly believe that wisdom and empathy will pick up on the best that we bequest to that future time and space and lead to the creation of a more inclusive and sustaining World Order.

Copyright reserved - Ian Weinberg 2020