Wednesday, 16 December 2020

 Protecting lives, securing livelihoods

Politicians around the world are in an almost impossible position over what to do over the Christmas holidays. After what we have seen in the U.S. during Thanksgiving holiday, it does seem like the take up of the Christmas easing may lead to dangerously large spike in infections.

The fear is if rules are not relaxed there may be “mass disobedience” and it would be far harder to get compliance back after that, unless you are in Sri Lanka where we are told every move of yours is monitored by the security services. This is all very well and good, but how many nations are the size of Sri Lanka? 

Even then as we have seen in the Covid-19 clusters recorded, there were people moving from high infection areas to low ones and that spreads the virus around the country.

Luckily for us after over many months, nearly a year; we are coming to discern that there are different strains of the virus working its way in different areas and among different age groups. Epidemiologists maintain that the current strain of the virus today is not as virulent as what it was in the early stages in March to May 2020. The view among them is that the virus is mutating. The biggest carriers now are school going children as evidenced in the London Borough of Greenwich? 

How can we scrap “get-together s” at Christmas?

 Given the sudden rapid spread of the virus in London and the Boroughs of London and the South East being raised from Tier 2 to Tier 3 from midnight 15 December 2020, together with recent retreat by Germany and The Netherlands into virtual lockdown, it is argued why “science” was not taken note of, for the anticipated incidence of the virus in the winter months? 

Does the pandemic know it is Christmas time? 

Does it anticipate our leaders blundering into another major error that will cost lives, if we fail to take swift and decisive action? 

The million dollar question on everyone’s minds is: “which is more important lives or livelihoods? Or both?” 

But what we all agree is considering the livelihoods of people, the economy in UK has shrunk as much as 24% during this year, with a cost of record government borrowing. 

Many economists also state that there was record amount of spending.

That there was a lot of waste in ordering PPE equipment, is well known. There was mass neglect by NHS of other patient care, especially urgent treatment of incurable diseases. The idea that disabled peoples’ hospital appointments were postponed or even cancelled, was part of the scene. There were too many Field Covid-19 Hospitals around England and they were not fully utilised. Covid19 has acerbated poverty isolation. In a sense or in essence, it was like “throwing good money everywhere”.

High earners benefited out of the calamity? 

As this difficult year for everyone draws to a close, we can only feel positive by the recent vaccine announcement and its roll out plans. 

The challenges ahead are particularly acute for low-income families facing the “almost impossible task of balancing work with childcare and home schooling,” as the winter threats to lives and livelihoods, are on the horizon. 

According to a McKinsey Quarterly Five Fifty Report: “Women and children have suffered the most from the pandemic. 

MIND, the better health organisation, has this to offer those who have been experiencing difficult feelings and emotions or feeling hopeless about when the pandemic might end. They want people to:

1.    Find ways to connect with others and share experiences.

2.    Get as much natural light and nature as you can.

3.    Look after your physical health.

4.    Take care with bad news and information.

5.    Look after your practical needs. 

When COVID-19 recedes, it will leave behind a severe economic crisis. But as always, some people will profit. Those who will benefit is for discussion among ourselves. 

It is for another day, another occasion for you to discover. 

Victor Cherubim 

       

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