The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Since the turn of the century, warnings have been given about the powerful effects of virus and influenzas. Such diseases have killed billions throughout human history. Black Plague, Spanish Influenza to name a few you may recognise. Various Governments have not ignored their powerful destructiveness, and established agencies to study, catalogue and research these viruses and their cures. Much has been done to understand these powerful predators and governmental responses have saved the lives of many in the past.

Fast forward to the present day. In the past few years governments have been cutting the budgets of those agencies with the task above mentioned and yet I am sure the budgets of those trying to weaponize these diseases don’t have that same problem. Our attention has been on other things. The threat of virus pandemics continued to be out there, somewhere but certainly not in our neighbourhood. They appeared in Africa (Congo & Kenya) and Latin America (Brazil), but not in a part of the world where science and medicine reigned supreme. Well here’s hoping anyways that 2019-2021 and beyond have become pivotal points in history. Over a half a million people throughout the world have died, and millions have been effected with post COVID-19 syndrome. We truly do not know how those infected with this virus and then recuperating from it will be affected. Side affects, internal organ damage, psychological trauma will be studied carefully.

So is there someone to blame here? Many say COVID-19 originated in China. Perhaps. Word is the Chinese had recognised this virus mid-summer of 2019. Like so many other governments, China certainly did not ignore this virus, and certainly did study and investigate it. What China did, like so many other nations across the globe, was protect its information and wait to see what would happen. Yes. every national government did the same thing, play the human game of “wait and see”.

Did they prepare for the worst? Make or buy PPE and breathing apparatus, put their emergency medical teams on standby? Most did not, while a few like Singapore, Thailand and Israel did. Canada made the right moves also, purchasing PPE, and investing in the development of vaccines. We just ordered these items from the wrong manufacturer. China like so many other nations applied national self interest towards all their agreements. America, a supplier and manufacturer of vaccines also looked to its own self interest before other nations. Would you expect anything else to happen? Small nations suffered, their citizens died so that those nations who produce these vaccines can re-open their economies before any other.

What have I learnt about Humanity and how it responded to this pandemic?

The Western concerns about individual freedoms of choice conspired against our collective rights to be safe and healthy. Controversy arose regarding mask wearing, health safety regulations, who should be vaccinated first, when should businesses closed be reopened. Selfish nations holding onto their vaccines, selfish individuals not recognising that safety regulations protected not just others but themselves too. Protests, violence and anti-masking practices became commonplace. How can someone get violent about wearing a mask you may ask? American exceptionalism became the word of the day. Like a child, adults refused to be concerned about the health of others, the safety of others. I was mocked, mostly by men many times for wearing a mask. The Right to Choose vs Human Life. Safety vs Perceived rights. The collective will not refuse an anti-maskers entrance into a hospital cause they have COVID-19. Self absorbed negativity ruled in many parts of the world. Trust of Governmental motivation became a battle cry.

Many corporations made off like bandits during these pandemic times. The Pharmaceutical Corporations are talking booster shots now mostly because of the COVID variants. Grocery stores increased their prices drastically, while trying to say these price increases are due to escalating costs. Really! The drivers and many staff make the same pay as pre-pandemic. With the restaurants closed, many people bought food to cook at home. The packages became smaller, while the prices increased for no real reason. Costs have remained relatively the same during the pandemic.

Grocery, hardware and department stores like Costco and Walmart increased their profits.

Selfish nations, selfish individuals, selfish corporations seem to rule The West. Their influence upon our governments has been large and continual. Once they were declared essential Service Firms their ticket to “Profit City” was assured.

The Leadership of our governments have shown an inability to make concrete decisions. This inability is side-stepped by their supposed reliance upon our medical experts who are said to be running this Pandemic Circus. Politicians fear making the wrong or unpopular decision, so they passed this decision making onto medical bureaucrats who have steel plated pensions and total protection should they make the wrong decision. Remember all the senior homes with our senior citizens dying due to lack of protection during the beginning of this pandemic? The governments of the day passed into law legislation that protected managers of these homes, the government and its leaders from legal charges that may come up due to mismanagement, lack of care, wrongful treatment of our elderly. Here’s to looking out for Number One, right!

Governments gave/lent money to many of their citizens, who were in need. Some nations did better than others. Strange how they show concern about the budget at a time of emergency, but not when they give themselves raises and bonuses. The have nots received some relief, but we will all have to brace ourselves for the oncoming taxes, revenue increases, revenue agency policy changes, etc. What they gave will be taken back and more. The Middle Class will get smaller, the working class poorer, the ill and diseased will have to wait for further funding and the rich have become richer. The super rich have offshore accounts banking trillions of dollars, while our governments will place all taxation burdens upon the middle class. The poor and working class services will certainly be adjusted to the Government’s benefit. Someone has to pay for their horrible mess.

Why did the pandemic occur? Who really knows. “They” are not about to tell us the truth. The pandemic became a horrible thing for these reasons...

Governmental officials either did not recognize the threat or did not act quickly enough.

Governmental officials were not transparent, nor accountable for their actions.

Secrecy was and still is a primary force of this pandemic’s development.(no real concrete information).

Private Enterprises manipulated governmental actions to the private sector’s benefit.

Profit motivated innovation, not empathy.

Political competition among nations blocked any global effort for transparency and effectiveness.

The EU-USA-CHINA screwed up. Smaller nations suffered their negligence, selfishness and greed.

Can we learn from this living history? Yes indeed. What is money but a tool to benefit our citizens. Put the Corporate world in their place, and concentrate upon what is important. You and Me. The People.

STEVEN KASZAB

Bradford, Ontario,

Canada.

August 9, 2021.