Virus in Belgium – France. Masks anybody?
Not easy to keep up a smile facing COVID-19, as things are not getting better.
Now total cases in Belgium stand at 50, the majority is of people returning from their holidays in Italy. Patients either stay at home or in the hospital. More cases are expected. Still not too bad compared with other countries.
See de interesting overview map from De Standaard.
In France, number of cases going up strongly. Now if you want to buy a mask, you need first to see your doctor, get a prescription and then you can buy a mask in the pharmacy. Very different situation than in China…
Belgium keeps its humor:
Another interactive map:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/world/coronavirus-maps.html
Screenshot of affected countries of that website.
Most masks are useless except to protect you from touching face. Only the FFP-2 mask offers protection but is very uncomfortable and difficult to use for a longer time. Mask mostly are used on infected persons to avoid contaminating others.
The paranoia with masks in China is thus meaningless. I mostly use any mask in public just to show I have one. If I feel I need protection I use my N95 masks, the ones I always use against pollution. And I use my motorcycle helmet.
In the meantime a second plane from Moscow to Beijing was hit by quarantine. Happens as I explained the reasons in previous posts. Details remain rather sketchy.
The USA is confusing everybody
Yeah. you know, I have a hunch looking at the news and contacting people. So I conclude as I am more clever than anybody:
– Trump’s hunch is fantasy;
– USA is ill-prepared with not enough test kits, hospitals not equipped, crisis centers unprepared;
– medical system overcharging patients with typical U.S. inflated prices to test and treat people, while voices come up to do it for free;
– pandemic is still in the initial phase and the economy will suffer;
– US bureaucratic blunder in providing test kits saw only some 1500 people tested; South Korea has tested 140,000 people for the coronavirus. That could explain why its death rate is just 0.6% — far lower than in China or the US. As for the death rate, I still believe it stands at less than 2% because many mild cases remain undetected and even if deaths in Wuhan were underreported.
As I mentioned in an earlier post…
Renaat Morel interviewed
Our friend Renaat again in the news!
China Daily actually admitted on 5 March that the epidemic cost the catering sector US$71.6 billion. Compared with the Spring Festival holiday last year, the revenue of 78% of restaurants in China dropped 100% during this year, a report from the China Cuisine Association said. Revenue of 9% of them dropped more than 9%; revenue of 7% saw between 70 and 90% drops; and revenue of less than 5% declined by 70%, the report said.
Link: https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202003/05/WS5e6069eba31012821727c883.html
Meanwhile restaurants try to stay afloat with online delivery, with heavy discounts. One wonders if they make any money.
This shows the bill for ordering a pizza at Legend Beer. Extras added free of charge. Discount: pay 98 instead of 135 RMB. As sent by a friend. See the temperature record of the staff involved…
China Daily: some interesting articles
Yes, CD at times does have interesting stuff. See these, worth a read:
Scientists discover two major subtypes of novel coronavirus
Chinese scientists have discovered that the novel coronavirus has evolved into two major subtypes. Experts said they believe investigating the differences and features of these subtypes may help evaluate risks and formulate better treatment and prevention plans.
The two subtypes are named L and S. The L type is more aggressive and was more prevalent in the early stages of the outbreak in Wuhan, Hubei province. But instances of the S type, which is older and less aggressive, have increased in frequency recently, thus possibly explaining the disease’s slowing momentum in China.
Link: https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202003/05/WS5e605826a31012821727c76d.html
Govt stresses ethics and efficiency in drug tests
As the nation races to find a vaccine, authorities and experts are working to ensure probity and safety.
At a news briefing on Feb 24, Bruce Aylward, an epidemiologist with the World Health Organization, described a major obstacle to research on the novel coronavirus.
He said too many clinical trials are being conducted simultaneously and there are not enough patients to provide samples, which may lead to unreliable results.
The article explains the hurdles to develop a vaccine. Problematic… Read why.
Link: https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202003/05/WS5e605be1a31012821727c7b3.html
Potential treatments for novel coronavirus
Article gives details on drugs being tested: Remdesivir, Chloroquine phosphate, Plasma transfusion therapy and Favipiravir.
Link: https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202003/05/WS5e605e4fa31012821727c7d5.html
Notice as also posted on WeChat
Do note I won’t reply to individual requests for updates on the virus issues and I won’t post on WeChat. This is why I update daily on my website, as not to repeat always the same. If people are too lazy to follow my posts, their problem. Also because there are no simple answers as everything changes fast. Questions? Ask your embassy or the local government (good luck).