1) Welcome to this edition of my blog. There is nothing particularly exciting to report, other than that we have finished the last of the written exams - a 3-hour abstract paper. With that out of the way, we can focus on our actual dissertation write-ups and (hopefully) submit in time. That would be the culmination of my year as a graduate student (technically before I even have a degree), so I hope things go according to plan.
2) Meanwhile, the Fellowship continues, as my friends and I spent a good three hours watching (over the internet, of course) the second movie of the Lord of the Rings trilogy - The Two Towers. Now there's just one more movie to go and the journey will be complete. And after that, we can obviously look forward to planning the Harry Potter movie-a-thon!
3) For now, the weather seems to be holding up really nicely. Temperatures have soared into the mid-20 degrees; this comes amidst warnings by the British PM Boris Johnson not to venture out, lest we lose the advantage we've gained so far by social distancing. As a future healthcare practitioner, it is a bit difficult (perhaps even baffling) for me how there are so many protesters who flout lockdown policies or dismiss them outright. It is even sadder still when some of these people think that it is not their responsibility to take care of others.
4) We have to realise that there are people out there who literally cannot protect themselves (due to advanced age, having a weak immune system, being on medication that suppresses the immune system etc). These people rely on the young, fit, and able not to simply go out and bring back this highly infectious disease. If you can't stay at home so that others may benefit, at least do it for the sake of your own family...
5) Finally, I am speechless regarding US President Donald Trump's botched handling of the situation. The Guardian quoted economist Joseph Stiglitz who likened the handling to that of a third-world country, but surely that is an insult to every other country in the world.[1] From claiming in January that everything was "under control" [2](the US now has close to a million infected - by far the country with the most cases), that it would all miraculously "disappear" (February) [2], to suggesting vaccines would be available "in the next few months" (clinical trials of vaccines would probably happen, but the vaccine itself would certainly NOT be ready) [2], to questioning the surge in demand from hospitals for protective equipment as "hoarding" or "worse than hoarding" (all without evidence) [2], to the more recent advocating of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine [3](despite initially shaky evidence for which the FDA now actually cautions against), to finally his suggesting that somehow "injecting" a disinfectant could "clean" the lungs.[4] Mix that all in with blatant racism [5] and sexism [6], and one wonders how any sane person can continue to support him.
6) It is this one man's ability to make claims without any evidence, backed by his supporters who will probably support him no matter what he says or does, that will ultimately cost the US very dearly.
7) On a side note, to all the anti-vaxxers out there, please consider that this is an example where we do not have a vaccine for just one disease. Now imagine if a few more came along.
8) I had hoped not to go on a long rant here, but I suppose some things are actually better off said. I can only hope that things take a turn for the better, and I pray that those who protest or think they "cannot get it" or that "it is just like flu" will seriously reconsider their decision. Apologies for the long post, but I've had quite a long time to think about this.
9) Thanks for visiting my blog as always, and have a nice day. Cheers!
The bubonic plaque, smallpox, leprosy, cholera, SARS, H1N1, and now Covid-19:
There has been no shortage of pandemics throughout the history of humankind.
In the future - I am sure - it will be written in the History books how we managed to overcome this unseen foe. Let us all do our part to make this a reality.
Bibliography
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/22/top-economist-us-coronavirus-response-like-third-world-country-joseph-stiglitz-donald-trump
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/28/trump-coronavirus-misleading-claims
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-cautions-against-use-hydroxychloroquine-or-chloroquine-covid-19-outside-hospital-setting-or
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-suggests-injection-disinfectant-beat-coronavirus-clean-lungs-n1191216
https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/growing-wave-of-racism-and-hate-crimes-as-virus-spreads
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/30/us/politics/trump-women-coronavirus.html
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