So we’re all going to die from the flu. Well not quite but this appears to be the latest exciting thing for people to get themselves into. I woke up this morning feeling a bit ill and I had a sore throat, perhaps something happened in my dreams. I thought I may have been infected with the Coronavirus. I suspect there’s a good chance I haven’t but it’s interesting to see how hysterical fear has managed to grip even the most disbelieving and disinterested of us. I am not saying it isn’t real, I am not saying it isn’t dangerous. I have seen the points made about how more people have died this year from the flu than Corona and I have also seen stories saying how those figures don’t reveal the whole story. Seemingly only older people are at serious risk but then also there seems to have been plenty of younger ones dying from it. I don’t really worry about catching it myself but I do worry about my parents and that last part is a real fear not just paranoia.
There are plenty of conspiracy theories out there about it being an accidental release from China’s only biological chemical disease laboratory which just happens to be in Wuhan where it originated. It is very tempting to find some credibility in this slightly coincidental event, just as it was coincidental that Britain’s only laboratory of similar ilk that happened to produce Novichok just happened to be very close to Salisbury where the Russians supposedly used it on their traitorous spies. There was once a time when I got excited and caught up with these kinds of things but I don’t now. Although let’s be honest there is something totally suspect about what happened on 9/11 or 11/9 as we call it here. Many believe these things to be true and if you’re inclined to there will always be plenty of evidence to back it up but also there will be plenty of evidence the other way if you’re not. It doesn’t really matter to me and it’s pointless getting excited about theories like this as you will simply never know and it doesn’t change anything anyway. People will live and die regardless. They did a good piece on the radio this morning about the conspiracy theorists pushing claims and it was the kind of dismissal that people would laugh along with if they didn’t believe conspiracies and if they did would be able to use as part of the propaganda cover up.
There was also quite an amusing piece on the same radio program in which they had loads of people talking about hygiene and what they are now doing. It was a wonderful opportunity for people to confess to the usual lunacy of their hygienic hypochondria because they had finally found a safe space to come out in. They all seemingly felt the need to stress they’re not crazies suffering from bacteria phobia even though they usually carry around hand sanitiser and never touch banisters or escalators without it, god forbid a lock in a toilet. A long list of potential bacteria filled opportunities was bowled out with not a single one ever thinking there may be no point to their behaviour because clearly it’s impossible to escape germs. I’m not sure if any of them have ever heard of an immune system.
Clearly I think this is all hysterical and am liable to have a laissez faire attitude to events. I also believe it is very real and people are liable to catch it and suffer, die even, so my aim is not to belittle something deadly. Scotland has just had it’s first patient with the papers rubbing their metaphorical hands in gleeful delight at what’s to come. I know I won’t be happy when I get stuck in lockdown somewhere and try to ignore the little monster at the back of my mind saying it’s all just a rehearsal for when they announce martial law and the death camps. It’s so easy to be distrusting of power especially when it has only ever represented reactionary morality in the past. Apparently they’re trying to calm everyone for the sake of the stock markets, isn’t it wonderful when priorities are exposed by emergencies.
It’s times like this that I’m reminded of a lovely childhood rhyme that was once culturally relevant –
One, two Corona’s coming for you,
Three, four you better lock your door,
Five, six grab a crucifix…
God will save the day, she always does.
Observations and Misunderstandings 