O Pinions!

A sip of coronavirus anyone?

A sip of coronavirus anyone?
24.february.2020

In response to Pat's post re USA lack of preparedness for a pandemic: "Taiwan's continuing response [re coronavirus] has been reassuring; but, I'm home now and not so certain the US can handle this. Outbreak in a prison, college dormitory or nursing home? Does the Diamond Princess ring a bell? If [it] hits the homeless community we'll have a situation similar to Daegu, South Korea [people who don't trust the government tend to scatter or hide]. Will the EU isolate Italy; would the US close the borders of Idaho. A disaster waiting to happen and the only response may be allowing a dictator to run it. Someone who knows nothing about disease by-the-way and never listens to the experts."

I do believe this is similar to war-time. The leader can abuse his power by pointing to a very real or imagined threat. This threat is real... but not much worse than any other pandemic. I'm in the category must likely to succumb to it (old... my lungs are not as good as they used to be); but, the flu is killing hundreds (children seem to be "targeted"). Americans are susceptible to manipulation by fear. Yellow alert, orange alert, red? Anyone remember the "Traumatization of America Post 9/11"? Those who do haven't learned that lesson.

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