COVID-19: Some Thoughts

Seen and heard on BBC -- Corona Latest 

Getting better by the day, folks! 

Heard on BBC Radio 4 last night: doctors in England are angry that there is no treatment at all for COVID-19 patients in British hospitals. None. Or, rather, there is: Paracetamol. That's all they are allowed to give patients. Many have died of course. The doctors wanted to try anything they had such as the Chloroquine option. But the British authorities have said till now that doctors cannot use their own discretion and we need UK-based results of fully, properly randomized trials. Which is impossible at this stage. So, patients are dying rather than the doctors trying anything -- something. 

I am not sure I understand, personally, that slightly pedantic attitude. You give them something if you know they are going to die. If they die, they die. If they don't, it's a bonus, and it frees up a bed all the same. But no: it would go against the rules. [Better not bring them in: see below.] 

Apparently, the British government is considering loosening up its guidance and letting doctors use a bit more leeway at local/ clinical level. When the death toll (daily) rises above 1,000, maybe? 

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In another development, care homes have understood that their residents are unlikely to be admitted to hospital if they fall ill with the corona-virus. So, many are putting extreme pressure on elderly and frail residents to sign 'do not resuscitate' forms. What it means is that the oldie agrees he (or she) is not worth saving. By signing the form, he (or she) makes it easier for the care home and the medical services to decide to let him (or her) die, because they were going to do that anyway. It is a consent form that says: 'My life is worthless and I accept it is.' 

Never mind the fact some of those oldies may be in good shape, still. What this tells us is: We're not going to try to save you. Can't be bothered. You're a waste of space. Sorry! But do remember: we care.

Presumably, Prince Charles (age, 71), doesn't live in an ordinary care home in Sussex: he got the corona-virus and is alive and well. Uncanny.

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Meanwhile, over in France, two medical professors recommend trying new vaccines in sub-Saharan Africa, because Africans have nothing to lose anyway. To illustrate the point, they draw a parallel with antiviral trials on prostitutes. Charming: one can only grade highly this subtle, considerate, humane, yet no-nonsense approach to reality that sometimes dominates in France, more particularly when dealing with those who are weak and helpless, and/or not French, and/or not White.

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As we can see, the corona-virus is fast bringing out the worst alongside the best in human nature that you can expect. So far we have learnt today, therefore, that: (a) The life of a human being is intrinsically and ultimately less important than medical methodology; (b) The life of old people is worthless ('old' is anyone over 60 or 65, and certainly anyone over 70 ought to be dead already...); (c) The life of black people is worthless (hence we should try drugs and active agents of all kinds on them and see what happens, and they'll be grateful for it). 

"Bring it on", so the elite seems to say.

I think the COVID-19 pandemic has destroyed the Neo-Liberal ideology and the order based on it – as its most egregious offenses are so un-apologetically discussed by BBC above.

I also think the European Union – as a political and social project – is finished – although the Common Market could presumably continue to exist.

I do not see how Euro currency could survive – Spain and Italy have to print money and give it to the unemployed for them to physically survive, would ECB go along with that?

I think not.

In earlier years, Brussels had imposed real political and economic costs on Italy (as well as Greece ) – sanctioning Russia and Iran.

Those were US-UK pet projects - "contain Russia, destroy Iran".

But it was Russia (and China and Cuba) that came to Italy’s aid and not US, or UK, or France, or Germany.  

EU has been badly wounded: nothing worse than an international umbrella organisation that is costly and, when you need them, they are nowhere to be seen: being irrelevant is dangerous. I think COVID-19 will be more damaging to the EU in the long run than Brexit, or even the 2008 financial crisis. Italians and Spaniards in particular are going to come out of it feeling they were let down by Germany and the French -- and they always are. It is actually true. The EU was designed by (and for) and has been run by (and for) the French, with some German input: that is the reality. 

Ultimately, it was the local sovereign powers that counted; in Italy or in Iran or in China and not transnational entities such as UN, NATO, etc.  And certainly not US.