LESSONS LEARNT FROM THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC -NATURE VERSES THE OPEN ECONOMY
Posted on July 4th, 2021

BY DR JANAKA GOONETILLEKE

INTRODUCTION

The basic policy of the prevention of the spread of Covid 19 is social distancing and prevention of close association between strangers by barrier methods such as facial masks , gloves and washing of hands. We have returned to our traditional methods of greetings which is worshipping and moved away from the western tradition of shaking hands . Worshipping has more than one meaning . It is not only a tradition of greeting but also extension of respect to a fellow human being another clog in the great wheel of Human Bondage the basis on which humanity can progress. This also has reduced the need to wash hands. It is very clear that the easterner over centuries have seen the need to practice social distancing. This is nothing new to humanity . Humanity is only comfortable if there is four feet between strangers in social activity and two feet between loved ones who we know for sure does not have a communicable disease and the closeness is comfortable.  Thus social distancing is not a stranger to humanity but the new world order that ignores nature in search of profit at the risk of suffering , it is something new. It is time  the hubris  that we can control nature is abandoned. So should the policy of creative destruction and creative accounting in search of profit be abandoned as it is false.

PANDEMIC AND NATURAL WAVE PROPAGATION OF EPIDEMICS

Without understanding the nature of an epidemic one cannot understand the reality of the predicament humanity is facing. All natural phenomena observe a wave format reflecting natural exacerbations and remissions be it a storm, blowing and even physiological phenomena such as the oxygen dissociation curve. This is best expressed in the Buddhist Philosophy that every thing is in flux and nothing is permanent. To ignore the basic Buddhist philosophy in a Buddhist country shows the degree to which the rulers have moved away from society. This is now highjacked by the present world as the first wave, second wave etc. What they do not say is that the wave format will burn itself out and be a spent force with time when herd immunity will take over. The inevitability of the situation must be accepted but society should do its utmost to protect the vulnerable such as senior citizens , children etc. so that the burden on the Health care system is minimized . A proper assessment cannot be made until the blood tests are done to evaluate the risks . The risks of course will depend  on the immunity of the citizens, Demography of the society , climate etc.  Unfortunately blindly following the west will not give a proper assessment whose status is very different from the east and is not pragmatic.  Can a nation ignorant of this basic concept be realistic in assessment and management of this threat to humanity

EPIDEMICS AND OPEN ECONOMY

As much as the covid 19 epidemic needs to be emphasized because of it virulency the more chronic epidemics in society has been ignored.  In Sri Lanka Diabetes , hypercholesteremia, fatty livers and kidney disease and cancers have reached epidemic proportions. Poisoning of society has been encouraged by the Ruling classes in the name of profits and commissions.

The best example of this poisoning is the incidence of chronic Renal disease which affects the 15% of the population in the North central province related to the Mahaweli scheme. The rulers who are slaves to the IMF and World bank have not even had the courage to properly investigate the plight of the citizens. The rulers have abdicated their responsibility to the people. The disease has been attributed to the heavy metals in the fertilizer.

The olden times the rice was cooked and the excess supernatant was discarded where most of the heavy metals were. Today the Rice cooker does not have a mechanism to rid the rice of the pollution and hence are consumed. These heavy metals are then distributed by the commercial marketing to the rest of the country as  even the rice is contaminated. Water being the carrier not only of nutrients but also poisons.

The interesting question is why the Hype on the corona virus? Why has the rulers evaded their responsibility towards other epidemics? Interesting questions that only the rulers can answer.

This is only the tip of the iceberg. The anti-human policies in the name of creative destruction and open economy has to be reviewed..

FUTURE EPIDEMICS

At the rate  the deforestation in sri lanka is going on to pander to the political ambitions of the ruling class and paying debt and geopolitical schemes like the millennium 2000 with agreements with America will create new diseases that are at present confined to the forest .  The best example is the epidemic of dengue. This until recently confined to the forests. The dengue mosquito was well controlled in the forests. The relatively cold water and the tannins created by rotting leaves are toxic to the mosquito eggs in addition predators such as bats kept the dengue mosquito in check and confined to the forests. With urbanization and deforestation the mosquito was offered warm water environment to multiply and become a threat to society That was done by the authorities allowing deforestation with out assessing the threat. Today the same authorities who created this problem are accusing the ordinary citizens by checking for larvae in natural collections of water be it in coconut shells ,latrines and wells etc and taking legal actions. In this process the Police , army are utilized to bring fear to the people. The rulers who created this problem are now putting the blame on the ordinary citizen where as they are liable.

This corona virus epidemic is only the start . The annihilation of the policy of natural social distancing by urbanization will only expose society to many such epidemics.

SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF URBANISATION AND APARTMENTAL LIVING AND ABANDONING THD EASTERN PHILOSOPHY OF AHIMSA

One thing that suffers most in an urbanized society is the human phenomenon of social distancing the compromise of which creates stress , natural spread of disease such as corono and the pressure on utilities such as healthcare. Healthcare subsidies have been greatly reduced by IMF demands and private practice which cannot adequately care for the consequences of urbanization such as epidemics. The lack of social distancing and stress has confirmed the reason for  the  media publications of increased wife bashing during the epidemic . In addition living in small apartments with little social distancing has created a society where there is increased dependency on drugs as found out in the research in New York. Another epidemic of drug usage and its social consequences is  violence. The recent spate of Drug related Police actions are further evidence of the consequences of Urbanization. An important message to the Resident committees of Apartment complexes where it should take a holistic approach not militaristic rules.. The space here is inadequate to give further details.

Consuming game such as bats only opens humanity to diseases of animals. It is another mechanism by which humans will be exposed to new diseases. Corono virus is claimed to have originated from Bats.

PRESENT EPIDEMIC AND THE UNREALISTIC MANAGEMENT

The hubris that natural phenomena can be controlled with out consequences is a western phenomena that is against eastern belief. The natural wave phenomena of the epidemic are used by the ruling class as a form of propaganda. During exacerbations or the crest of the wave the people are blamed for not adhering to the rules of social distancing where as during the remissions or bottom of the wave they take the credit for controlling the epidemic. With the second and third wave their credibility is questioned by society. The long and short of it is that a natural phenomenon like a hurricane cannot be controlled without consequences but the wave format will continue until it burns itself off by herd immunity. This is no different from a hurricane which burns itself off but the damage cannot be prevented. Like wise Death and disease in this epidemic cannot be avoided but with careful management can be minimized

CONCLIUSION

The present management is inadequate because

  1. Does not accept the pattern of a natural epidemic but feel it can be controlled not accepting it is by Herd immunity. The longer we prolong the virus has an opportunity to mutate which may be more virulent than the original and the epidemic can recur.
  2. There is no care plan for the vulnerable the old and the sick. Its been proved without doubt that the old and the very young are vulnerable. Unfortunately no such social problem is addressed

In the non buddhist UK vulnerable citizens are cared for using what they call a support bubble. Ie introducing another family that can interact with them in spite of lock down without restrictions. In Buddhist Sri Lanka the elderly are a spent force  not cared for. How Buddhist  is it ?

  • No proper risk management has been established in society where 80%  of the covid infected are symptomless. In sri Lankas the death rate is less than 1% a reflection of the hot climate, natural immunity and the maintenance of social distancing especially in the Rural areas.
  • Vaccination- Will it have a 100% immunity? Will the virus have mutated by then and will the vaccine be effective? A question that can be answered in retrospect. Still early days to pass udgement
  • Health care- should the government reestablish a fully funded free health care system that has been abandoned after IMF advised the government to  reduce subsidies.
  • Review of the Program  of deforestation and environmental protection. Is a absolute necessary to prevent new epidemics from forests. The use of chemicals in food preservation must be banned. To prevent other epidemics like cancer.
  • 52% of sri Lankans are daily wage earners. The frequent curfews and locked down has devastated their earning capacity. In addition the expatriate workers mostly in the Middle East are unemployed stuck in the middle east unable to come back because of the failing economy  has caused major setbacks to their economy and that of their dependent families. This has caused a lot of suffering. The sri Lankan indebted economy has virtually come to a stand still where do we go from here?

 Lock down and curfews must not interfere with the national economy. Undernutrition not only cause death but will cause more problems if they get Corono. A Realistic approach and the acceptance that finally Herd immunity is the answer must be accepted. If not the suffering and dismantling of society would continue.  

THIS EPIDEMIC IS A CONSEQUENCE AND MISMANAGEMENT OF THE ECONOMY. IT IS TIME THE EAST CHANGES ITS ECONOMIC POLICY ”

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