The media and our politicians are screaming that we are in
the throws of a deadly pandemic and that, in order to fight it properly, we
need to suspend many basic freedoms. I too have been resigned to having my rights
infringed but with the understanding it is for the better good. But I have been
troubled in that, to me, things do not appear as they should; the numbers are
not adding up.
I first became suspicious when it was declared that we had
reached the “pandemic” stage. While familiar with that term it did not feel
appropriate to the numbers being published. I, like many of us, have been
following the reported cases, and associated deaths, worldwide closely for
several weeks now. A pandemic is defined as being an “epidemic over a wide
geographic area and affecting a large proportion of the population”. The fact
it has been reported in most countries in the world meets the first criteria,
but cases and related death numbers do not support the second.
There is a web site called “nCov2019.live” that has been
tracking the virus for some time. As I write this, April 14th, there are
1,988,816 cases reported worldwide and 125,597 have died from the virus. Scary
numbers for sure but let us put them in perspective first to better understand
if this is a “large proportion” of the population. Currently there are about
7.8 billion people on earth, or 7,800 million. 2 million have been diagnosed as
having the virus which does not look so bad. Sure, it is growing but it has been
over 3 months since it was first reported. How about if we look at the numbers
from a Canadian perspective?
There are 37.7 million people in Canada. Of those a total of
26,897 have been diagnosed as having the virus. And of those diagnosed a total
of 898 have died. While it is sure to climb higher that number does not scare
me, yet there is a lot of fear mongering going on right now. So, I looked to
see, on an annual basis, what the most recent leading causes of deaths in
Canada are. For example, 12,524 died last year from accidents (number 4 out of
10), and 6,235 from influenza and pneumonia (number 8). Even if the death
numbers for Covid19 end up being 5 times higher (about 5000 total) we would
then barely be in the same ballpark as the annual influenza epidemic yet it
isn’t considered a “pandemic” which we do not panic over; we have all come to
accept it as a risk we have no choice but to live with.
But it is very deadly you say! Well, again let us check the
available evidence. A closed system that has been well documented is that of
the Diamond Princess cruise ship. Now I am going to cite from a report issued
by the United States Centre for Disease Control issued March 27th. On January
25, a passenger with Covid-19 symptoms got off in Hong Kong. Within days the
ship was put into quarantine when it reached Yokohama. The results of the
quarantine showed that of the 3,711 passengers and crew that were on board, 712
had positive tests for the virus, meaning that the rest (90.8%, or 4 out of 5)
did not, and in effect were immune! Of those that were diagnosed a total of 9
died, or 0.2% of all on board. The other interesting feature of the virus is
that it is a viral pneumonia that is deadly if old and infirm or if younger
people have pre-existing respiratory issues. It also needs to be noted that the
average age of all on board was 60, whereas the average age of Canadians is 41
so the death rate one would expect based on the Diamond Princess data is less.
It has not helped that while worrisome, this “pandemic” is being
blown way out of proportion. The fallout is that we are being subjected to what
a free society should consider totalitarian measures encouraged by a deeply
ignorant media apparatus. While the media should have been digging deep to find
the evidence to prove it is the scourge that they pretend it is, they instead
are fanning the flames of panic!
I am appealing to all to please relax and calm down! As
Marie Curie said: “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be
understood. Now is the time to understand more so we can fear less”. The
silver lining is that we are now more aware of how we can lessen the effects of
the annual flu. Wash your hands more frequently. Give others a bit more space
during the winter months. Do not be ashamed to wear a face mask; no matter the
quality it is still far better than not using one.
But this is not the time to let our rights be trashed by
petty tyrants no matter who they are, using fear of this “pandemic” as the
means of doing so. Just remember that the last time personal rights were
abrogated by government to the extents we are starting to see now was by
the Fascists in the first half of the twentieth century taking advantage of the
fear that enveloped many countries thanks to the ramifications of the Great Depression.
Let us not have history repeat itself.
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I don't want to live in a bubble so if you have a different take or can suggest a different source of information go for it!