The Other Side of Covid. Part II

Read Part I here.

The political implications are vast. Governments everywhere, by definition, are “suppression machines”. Some are more benign that others. But the nature of every government is to rule by intimidation, force, by limiting our freedoms and setting new rules given the opportunity. Covid opened those gates of opportunity wide. “Observe the curfew” took place in NYC early in pandemic. “Wear a mask”, “wear two at a time” or “wear three”. “Wear a mask at home”. “Wear a mask even if you’ve been vaccinated”. Sounds familiar? “Stay home. It’s for your own good”. “Don’t congregate even in private”. Obtain a “24-hour permit” to visit a doctor or go to buy food. Major fines if you don’t comply. We heard some of this is going on in Europe. Fortunately, most of the USA was spared this craziness for now, but who’s to say it cannot happen here?

Given a chance to implement and enforce new laws, governments are very reluctant to let go of the new powers. This is their nature. Repealing new rules and regulations down the road can be very hard. They stay on the books and can be used against us anytime. Some states and their governors begin to realize what is going on. They are asserting state powers in the attempt to resist uncontrolled central authority coming into their jurisdictions, by enacting state laws to protect its citizens against Washington virus dictate. It is too early in the game; many “red states” are yet to realize ”what a friend we have in Biden” and his administration. But it is going in that direction, slowly but surely.

You cannot get on a bus or subway without a mask. You will not be admitted into a store, a bank, a restaurant or an office without one. Small medical offices lacking social spacing now schedule appointments so you CANNOT come in and wait to be seen by the doctor. Instead, they will call you few minutes before the doctor can actually see you, so you must hurry and be there at the precise moment. You will be the only patient there.

Our personal tolerance levels took a major hit. We heard this story from someone we know. This lady refuses to feel subdued. She wears her mask only when walking into stores or offices. She walks around the streets without wearing the one. She had been cursed by the passerby, shouted and spitted at from the passing vehicles and once had a soda can tossed at her. Not to be outdone, she now carries a sizable pebble in her purse to return the favor. But this tells a story of where we are as society, the direction we are heading. And no, we didn’t make this up.

Discrimination of unvaccinated populations is about to begin. Non-withstanding the medical doubts that administered vaccines may not offer long-term protection against the virus, some nations, international bodies and airlines are developing “vaccine passports” that would give one unhindered access to travel, hotels, border crossings and other “perks”. We think it is wrong. They may be well intentioned, but creating splits are not needed by anyone. What happens then to “One nation, under God, indivisible.”

Look at the bigger picture. Limiting people’s right based on vaccination status is dangerous and near-sighted. Want to fan the flames of Big-Endians vs. Little-Endians? (For those who don’t know – it is from Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels (1726), describing the opposing positions of two factions in the nation of Lilliput. The Big-Endians, who broke their boiled eggs at the big end, rebelled against the king, who demanded that his subjects break their eggs at the little end). Do we really need another conflict and more hate in our midst? Medical tests administered immediately prior to boarding a flight should suffice. The public will pay for them. Make it as rapid, simple and inexpensive as possible.

Don’t further restrict our already restricted rights. Don’t waste time and money on something that may be outdated by medical science as new methods of fighting the virus scourge are coming out. People do get sick again, even after they have been vaccinated. What good is the “passport” when it proves nothing? Not out of the realm of possibility that Covid and its derivatives will be treated with over-the-counter drugs one day. They are working in that direction. We say, Kudos to several courageous state governors.  They declared any such “passports” null and void in their jurisdictions.

This country is on the move, literally. Mostly people from “blue” states to the “red” ones; diluting their conservative population. Escaping Covid, high rents and taxation, seeking new employment and business opportunities; wanting open air, good woke-free schools for kids, distant neighbors and fewer personal restrictions. Ability to work remotely chimes in, of course. Thousands upon thousands of people have left NY and CA, never to look back. Home prices around the country have risen considerably due to “big city bucks” invested in real estate elsewhere. Some buyers paid more than the asking prices for their new homes without ever seeing them. They had to made quick decisions while looking at property photographs only. Other suitors waited for a chance to bid on the same home with bated breaths. People have hard time booking moving trucks with crews for one’s relocation.

Much of our shopping moved online. It’s convenient and mostly fast. Companies like Amazon are reaping huge profits. It has also given rise to simple-to-commit crime. We saw security camera footage where a thief goes through a bunch of parcels dropped off in the apartment building’s lobby. He looks at shipping labels, weighs each box in his hands and finally finds something he wants. He then roller-skates away. Doesn’t wear a mask and apparently isn’t afraid or just stupid. It may be your little personal tragedy and inconsolable loss, but the FBI agents aren’t going to chase him over a $200 theft. Apparently, the problem is huge. For that reason Amazon now makes its delivery personnel take the boxes to the respective buyer’s residences and drop them there if no one is home. They are taking pictures of the boxes in front of your doorway as proof of delivery. Suppose private homes face the same trouble. Are you a shipper? Demand signature at delivery.

In Florence (Italy) the stores are all closed by order of the government, but the proprietors are obligated to pay monthly rents to the landlords. No one cares about the source of the money. Must be the same all over that country; probably around Europe, too. Anyone knows more?

These are interesting phenomenon we’re observing. Some people have lost any sense of date and time. They think nothing of calling private businesses on weekends or very late, after-hours, with questions or to place orders. They don’t call to leave messages. They expect someone to answer their calls anytime. No one sleeps anymore and expects the same of others.

There should be a whole garden variety of online sellers mongering on virus fears; to offer you masks, cans of food with long shelf lives, soaps, disposable gloves, wipes, cleaners, UV lamps, sanitizers, storage containers, disinfectants, vitamins to improve your resistance. Some real and some fake. Interestingly enough: Google inquiry for “covid prevention products” brings back NOTHING, except government recommendations on how to avoid getting sick. No ads, no stores, no product pictures. Only medical and safety products manufacturers’ recommendations are listed and New York City’s advice about “covid and condoms”. Where are the sellers? They can’t be hiding. We think Google suppresses all that activity; permits only ads without the “covid” word or they all keep low profile. Maybe if you know what you are looking for, you can find these products – else you are out of luck. It’s definitely worth further scrutiny!

There are multiple sites on the Internet offering official government Covid reports in many countries. Yet, there is no single site, to the best of our knowledge that offers links to articles in media around the world on the state of medical research in various countries. Google search is not the answer. What is needed is LATEST in-depth analysis on the state of discovery on Covid and cures, other possible treatments, preventive techniques, vaccines and their occasional negative health impacts discovered elsewhere. Here, in America, we see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. We must seek out information by ourselves and it is really hard. We wonder why this is the case? Does Big Tech or Big Pharma suppress this information to keep everything under control, not to stir anxieties? Inquiring minds want to know

Stay safe out there