Vandervis : The 4-week lock-down is just the first stage.

 

Don’t hold any hope that Covid-19 will be over in a short period of time.

by Lee Vandervis

The 4-week lock-down is just the first stage.

Ex Wikipedia -

“The Spanish flu, also known as the 1918 flu pandemic,^[2] was an unusually deadly influenza pandemic. Lasting from January 1918 to December 1920, it infected 500 million people—about a quarter of the world's population at the time.^[1] The death toll is estimated to have been anywhere from 17 million^[3] to 50 million, and possibly as high as 100 million, making it one of the deadliest epidemics in human history.”

Two years is also the Covid–19 estimate from the prestigious Rupert Koch institute. Yesterday’s Economist reports that “the Robert Koch Institute, a German government health agency, in saying that, in extremis, tough restrictions may need to remain in place until a vaccine can be made, tested and put into use—a period it sees as lasting up to two years.”

Today’s STAR front page highlights economic impacts but only scratches the surface of immediate recession effects and suggests people must prioritise spending on accommodation, food and power.

I suggest talking to any old people or grandparents who have had direct experience of privation in WW2, to get an idea of how to build your own supportive social network, because both local and central governments will be unable to help much other than printing money and imposing martial law. Slowing the spread of Covid-19 will help Health Support services cope, but there is no stopping Covid-19, even if a super-vaccine is invented tomorrow.

The label ‘tulip muncher’ stems from widespread starvation in Holland in WW2 and the eating of stored tulip bulbs to stay alive. “The war bulbs were old and dry and did not taste like fresh tulips. A fresh tulip bulb has a sweet, milky flavour that is actually not very bad. The tulip bulbs that were eaten during the war had a very bitter and dry taste instead.”

What got my forbearers through WW2 was a good network of friends and acquaintances that they could trust to do certain things and barter a range of skills and resources.

My advice is to look beyond what money may currently buy, since current currency values will change, and look to building your social capital, your connections with people that you can trust and barter with. Decide what you really need, and how you can help those around you with their needs at the same time. It is never too late to build social capital.

Do this on-line, on the phone, or over the fence, keeping the 2 meter distance at all times.
The economic ‘reset’ that was delayed by printing money in 2008 can no longer be delayed, and those responsible can now blame collapse on the virus.

The negativity of this post reflects the negativity of our current world, but suggests positive changes everyone can make to lessen the impacts. Gardening, reading to increase your gardening and other skills, and getting to know your neighbours and friends better to learn how we can all help each other.

Lee Vandervis | 27th Mar 2020 at 5:55 pm |