SCIENCE VS FANTASY: WHICH ONE WILL SOLVE THE COVID-19 PROBLEM?

The year 2020 will be remembered as the year that the pandemic called the Covid-19 had started spreading around the world. As of this writing, Covid-19 had already affected more than 3 million people and had already claimed more than 250 thousand lives globally. The number of individuals that will be affected is expected to rise in the coming months until a solution is discovered.  As a logical, rational and a non-believing person, I am expecting that the solution to this problem will come from the realm of science, medicine and technology.

We humans who are alive today are very fortunate to be witnessing the current technological advancement in communications and medicine that we get to obtain information about the current pandemic from around the world quickly and that we also get to have easy access to any potential medical solution to the Covid-19 illness.  Technological advancement in communications like television and internet are so accessible to everyone that we get to know a lot of useful facts that will help everyone from getting the Covid-19 sickness, specially that this illness is very contagious through human personal contact.  And I am also happy to see people in the field of health care use the technological advancement in medicine as a means to help individuals recover from the sickness brought about by the Covid-19 virus. Science and Technology, therefore, has been always helping mankind throughout history in dealing with any pandemic problems.

But despite the technical developments in medicine and communications, there are still a lot of people today who use the current technological communication platform as a method to spread dishonesty, deceitfulness and lies when it comes to the issue of Covid-19. I see a lot of written posts online, like passages from the Christian Bible that encourage people to pray to their god because some believe that their god will be the one to find the solution to this pandemic. And it’s so ironic too that other believers of the same Christian god say that it was their god that created the virus in order to punish mankind for tolerating homosexuality in society. Even some television channels are showing prayers called the Oratio Imperata, a prayer that the local church recommended when a grave need or calamity occurs. But has anybody even bothered to present any proofs that prayers had solved any of the pandemics of the past?

The Black Death was the most fatal pandemic that was ever recorded in human history. This illness took place between the years 1347 and 1351. And this pandemic claimed about 200 million lives. There were a number of fatalities back then due to a few facts, one of them was that, the medical technology during those times was way too primitive to handle such a deadly pandemic. But ironically, prayers to a god did not help at all.

Another epidemic that took place, which was considered as one of the deadliest epidemic illness that claimed a number of human lives, is the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic. This epidemic, which happened more than a hundred years ago, had affected around 500 million people and killed about 50 million lives. And it was not prayers to a god that eradicated this disease. According to Wikipedia, one explanation for the rapid decline in the lethality of the disease is that doctors became more effective in prevention and treatment of the pneumonia that developed after the victims had contracted the virus.  The improved status of the medical technology of the times helped solve the Spanish flu dilemma.  

The most recent health pandemic that humankind experienced before the Covid-19 happened was the H1N1 swine flu pandemic that took place in the year 2009. This pandemic had affected around 1.6 million people and killed about 18 thousand lives. A vaccine created by medical scientists were discovered in the same year which led to the eradication of the virus. Prayers nor beliefs in the existence of a god actually never took part in solving this swine flu dilemma.

Looking at the pattern of the effectiveness of the health care methodology from past to present, the trend is very clear right in front of us. As time moves forward, so does the efficiency of the science and medical technology of the times. We humans had always been presented by history with the fact that relying on science and medical technology does solve a lot of health problems. And it will solve more complex health predicaments in the future. What science does is the very opposite of what praying to a god does.

By Roderick Tubil

The big Test – My take on what the other side of the coin may be

As a critical thinker, we always like to look behind the scenes, question all, and seek answers, not from the main sources or from what we are told to believe.

In this pandemic cause by the Covid-19, we are told to do things because of the virus. What if the virus is the excuse to test the things we have to do, which we wouldn’t do, under relative normal circumstances?

Without any opposition we accept to be deprived of our fundamental rights, as the right of free movement, the write of free opinion expressing, and the right to be informed; neutrally.

Asking the citizens of a country to stay home won’t work, if not out of real threat, like war, or through fear. This fear is up and about, since the virus Covid-19 is all around us. And not only around us, but globally, and even though infection rates are roughly 0.0033 Percent of a countries population, and sometimes 0.011 Percent, but those percentages are not shown. What we see are for instance 10000 deaths, 1.6 million infections globally and so on. Our brain processes that as huge numbers, even the are less than the numbers during a normal flu, and it looks certainly more threatening than 0.0033 Percent.

Brain wash is something done, by repeating the same thing over and over again, just like now in the news. We here nothing else than the news about the virus, its numbers, it’s bottlenecks, its attached fears and its consequences if we don’t follow what we are told to do. And if we don’t follow, we will be presented with huge fines, penalties and even prison in some countries.

On top of all we are told about a corona app, that can be installed in our phones, and that is proposed to have to be installed in or mobiles in some countries. It is told to be done for our safety, whilst it’s to track us 100%.

The left green politics have been pushing for a so-called CO2 tax, and they want to get rid of combustion engine cars and reduce flights. Electric cars, less planes and more communal transports were to be pushed; but which normal person would want to give up all this for an Agenda? But a little virus can do the job too. Now hardly cars are moving, planes are nearly not flying, and the political lobby can prove that we can talk through phone and video call, we can go shopping by foot, and rather that fly out, enjoy our own parks more than ever.

This follows one big question. Why all this, when economy shrinks and medical facilities are overwhelmed? History has taught us, that growth can’t go on for ever. If we want to grow “again”, we need to fall. In old days, this was done through wars, where countries were forced to their knees, and then were able to start building again, have huge growth rates and a newly booming economy. Who always survived those periods well, were the rich, the states and the ones who allowed themselves willingly to be working under slave like circumstances!?

The weak, the sick and the old, we are told are targeted by the virus most, not because they are selected, but because it affects them most. These are members of society that also cost the most money, Healthwise, for pension and for care taking.  

Since some time, we are also on another hype, the CO2 hype, promoted by children and kids demonstrating for things the scientists are even not agreeing upon. Now the Covid-19 pandemic is playing into the favor of the left green politics, even its yet again playing against their “globalism” agenda. Cars, planes and motorbikes have been placed on production hold. Hardly any of those vehicles are moving, and even economy is hit hard, the German green party is even demanding, that its now the time to change one’s oil central heaters to something so called “eco-friendly”.

It's said to affect the old and sick the most, so again playing into the Agenda of many western politicians. Migration, even if illegal is further channeled into Europe, maybe to replace the dying? Maybe to get cheap labor or get rid of the Caucasian race as fast as possible?

It all looks like a big test, because it will be over soon, but politics will have seen how far they could go without “major” resistance, and they can use these months of stagnation to change things, that couldn’t have been changed under normal circumstances. And it seems to work for them.

But there still is opposition… still.

By Thomas Fleckner

Whats your opinion about this? Feel free to write your stance and comment below. It will be reviewed first, but you can choose to have it anonymous.

The pandemic could accelerate the removal of cash

How often does it happen; we enter the shop, fill our basket, and when at the cashier, we have to leave some goods behind, because we find out, that we don’t have enough cash in our wallet. Another scenario are queues at the ATM, and in the worst case, the AT Machine just ran out of money. And finally, cash fell out of our pocket, we get cheated with the change, and the tip of the ice berg maybe, we receive fake cash.

How much easier are the other options then? Credit cards, PayPal, GCash, Google Pay, Debit cards or simple cash cards. All those providers promise us convenience, security, and even points, cash back or discounts and freebees.

But what they will never tell us are the negative effects of those options, the most basic and even obvious sacrifices and losses we will experience – our freedom, our privacy, our data!

As soon as we sign up for any of those options, we hand over our data, our personal information, we agree to being tracked all the time, be it where we went, what be bought, at what time and date, and worse of all, we lose our freedom to buy anonymously.

Focus, a German publisher, wrote on the 19^th of April 2020, that the Germans used 47% cash for their spending. Due to the Corona crisis there is a prognosis, that by the year 2025, only 20% of German spending could be through cash. The reasons for using electronic payments now are hygiene and a broader acceptance of digital money.

Another danger is the interest rates set by the central banks. As we are now hovering around 0 – 1%, there is a possibility of minus interests, which is already on the way. For now, we can quickly withdraw our money and hold it in cash, but when cash has gone, we can’t escape, we are doomed to see our hard-earnt money become less and lesser, the longer we keep in in our bank accounts. Now we may go and increase our spending, buy mobile and immobile goods, just for the sake of saving our money.

The more we look at the mentioned scenarios, the more we know where we are heading to; a world of full observation, less freedom and even dishonoring of our own earnings.

We are looking towards a horrific new word, new world order one may say, where mask wearing people, who have to stay 1-2 meters apart from each other, are tracked and traced and fined as high as ever for breaking the suddenly new laws and rules. Our money will disappear faster than we can earn it, and lose value faster than we can value it.

And the worse scenario is yet to be mentioned… The big black out. What if suddenly our power supply stops, out of what reason ever? What if the internet no longer works, out of what reason ever? What if official hands can put their hands into our wallets, for what reason ever?

The perfect world is not for us, or is it?

By Thomas Fleckner

My take on the mental health side of the Covid-19 pandemic

Whilst medical science is researching for Covid-19 vaccines, students are asked to stay home, and many companies are sending their employees to home offices if possible. Social distance to friends, family and acquaintances as well as the shifting of everyday life into our own four walls enforces the feeling of isolation and can strain our psyche.

The spread of the corona virus, or also known as SARS-CoV-2, has now caused a global pandemic, and this time the impact on our everyday lives is profound. Strict measures have been taken for those who returned to their countries from highly spread Covid-19 areas, or had contact with a sick person, and even for the ones who are not infected.

"Flatten the curve" using quarantine and social distancing, is the measure that has been taken by many countries already, be it for the sick, the unknowingly ill and for the healthy.

As the situation has worsened, the instructions are clear, that we have all been asked to remain in “voluntary” to “forced” quarantine, at home as far as possible, and the situation ordered us to do. The goal of such quarantine is to slow the spread of a “highly contagious disease”, to prevent further infection.

In this context, the expression “flatten the curve” is used repeatedly in the media. By staying at home and restricting our social contacts, the curve of the newly infected should be kept as low as possible, and letting only the ones, that didn’t show symptoms till now, give the best chance for a bed in hospital. Therefore, if people become infected more slowly and not all fall ill at the same time, the health system can provide better care. If many people are infected at the same time, the best possible treatment for the individual can no longer be guaranteed.

In the popular social medias called Facebook or Instagram we can currently read the term “social distancing” over and over again. Yet quarantine leads from social distancing to social isolation, which has far-reaching psychological consequences and effects on the “Social Human being”

With the request #stayhome ("stay at home") we are all now in an unusual situation. The office is closed, work moves to the home office and leisure activities outside our own four walls are canceled, or at least restricted to our back yards, community gardens or own garden. These restrictions do not leave most people unscathed.

Whilst some find themselves in what they have looked forward to, like a little more time at home and to things for which they otherwise hardly find an opportunity, like reading, cooking, drawing or writing; whilst others feel more negative effects. These can include feelings of loneliness, depression or claustrophobia. The loss of social contacts then makes life and perseverance particularly difficult.

In our everyday life, building and maintaining social relationships are daily and often self-evident components. If this important part of our life no longer takes place as usual, feelings of loneliness can quickly rise, even if we are not alone at home. Because “being alone” and “loneliness” are not the same thing, because “alone” describes a physical state, while loneliness expresses a state of mind, an emotional and mental frame.

Our need for protection and belonging, being useful and honored also suffers in insecure situations and when in social isolation. The feeling of being locked in, of not being able to go about our daily routines and having limited access to for us important resources, contacts and places, may also have a negative impact on our mood and emotions. Pursuing a regulated work and private life (work – life balance) or practicing our hobbies are important sources of strength for many of us in everyday life. Regarding this new and difficult situation, the following symptoms or mood changes are not atypical: mental stress, emotional restlessness, insomnia, bad mood, irritability, anger, emotional exhaustion or fears associated with the virus, like oppression, shortness of breath and nightmares.

No matter if our TV, the newspaper we receive, or the social media on our screens; the topic of corona virus is omnipresent. To ensure or at least help a stable mental health during this time, it may be recommendable to limit the daily media consumption, as the brain is bombarded with negativity more than the normal dose we get under normal circumstances. For some, a fixed daily routine helps during the time in isolation well, whilst others feel better when there is no routine, like “every day something new or different”, be it though different books, different food, other drinks and calls through phone on random times of the day. Maybe the good old board games, can bring some excitement and fun.

Fact is that our urges need to be satisfied, and we may have to be careful to not overdo things we wouldn’t under ordinary circumstances. The earlier we identify our own shortcomings the better.

Again, it’s all about learning and learning from each other. Its about discovering unknown potentials. It’s about knowing that after every sunset there is a sun rise.

By Thomas Fleckner