The Virus Marches On

The Virus Marches On

I have been tracking the corona virus numbers in the U.S., the world and several localities where my loved ones live.  One thing about this virus stands out.  It marches on, inexorably, no matter what humanity does to mitigate it. The virus will continue to spread until an effective vaccine is developed and used universally.

This is not to say that closing down human interactions, imposing distancing, sanitation and hygiene doesn’t help to reduce the numbers, but this silent killer is always there and comes back with a vengeance when restrictions are relaxed.  Efforts at mitigation show a generally downward trend, but statistically, the deaths per capita are all over the lot.

The number of deaths from the virus, per one million population, for countries that locked down, range from over 800 for Belgium, in the 600 range for Spain, Italy and the UK, to 387 for the U.S. and a low 108 for Germany.  An aberration in the numbers is South Korea at 248, who did not lock down, but who took other very stringent mitigation steps.

Sweden did not lock down, and relied on attaining herd immunity.  It was evident back in April that their numbers were trending higher than their neighbors, and now, not only are Sweden’s numbers high, they are experiencing a spike in cases and deaths.  Sweden’s current deaths per million are 523.  Their neighbors, with very similar demographics, who locked down, are Norway at 46, Finland at 59, and Denmark at 104. Obviously, Sweden’s “scientific” experiment with herd immunity resulted in many more deaths than their neighbors.

In the U.S., cases, but not particularly deaths, are spiking in the southern tier states, particularly Florida, Texas, Arizona, California.  The northern tier states had truly major pandemics in the past months, but now seem to have “flattened their curves” for the moment, and are imposing 14-day quarantines on travelers from the South.  (A little quid pro quo here from the reverse a while back.)

As with so many other things, the virus pandemic has become political.  Virus cases are increasing as the country is slowly opening, and this increase is blamed on whom? - Why President Trump, of course.  And the virus apparently has a mind of its own.  It doesn’t infect the millions protesting and rioting in the streets, but it selectively infects church attendance and pro-Trump rallies.  Apologies for the cynicism, but one just cannot avoid the rank hypocrisy of the leftists and their media allies.

Ray Gruszecki

June 28, 2020