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Why is the west blaming China for creating COVID:19?

illuminated city skyline at night
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Over the last couple of weeks, it seems that politicians such as Boris Johnson and Donald Trump have decided that their best hope of avoiding being held responsible for the poor handling of the global pandemic, is to try and blame China for causing the outbreak.

It seems certain that the virus originated in China, however to suggest that this was a deliberate release of a deadly disease is to suggest a malicious intent for which there is no evidence and is frankly in the realms of fantasy.  It requires the Chinese government to think that its population can be sacrificed in order to cover the deliberate release of a virus intended to kill large numbers of citizens of other nations.

In what way would China, the factory of the world, benefit by the mass killing of it’s customers for the thousands of different types of products that it manufactures and exports to the rest of the world?  Why would a nation who’s citizens live, work and educate in so many countries around the globe want to inflict such suffering on the  innocent citizens of those countries?

Trump claims to have seen evidence that the virus was created and released from a laboratory in Wuhan, yet his own secret service say that this evidence does not exist!

What seems clear is that China needs to end the practice of these so called ‘wet markets’ where people and a wide range of live animals live in close proximity and which seems to have been the cause of a virus jumping species (and not for the first time) and China’s system of government allows them to make changes like the banning of such markets, quickly and effectively.

Western governments need to work with China to ensure that these outbreaks are not repeated, but alienating the people and government of China through playing a blame game is pointless and unnecessary and achieves nothing, however the poor quality politicians that western democracy has produced over recent years care only about themselves.

It is not China’s fault that Trump was in denial about COVID:19, even calling it a hoax, nor can China be blamed for Johnsons indecisive and ill advised decision making about how to handle the crisis.  Unlike Boris Johnson, the Chinese government did not experiment with ‘Herd Immunity’ and risk the lives of thousands, they locked down, quickly and hard, and have been far more successful in fighting COVID:19 than either the USA or the UK.

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We must not forget our ‘Key Workers’ when COVID:19 is gone

Thoughtful Stu“We have the opportunity to change our nation for the better as a result of this health disaster by making our kids realise that they can genuinely make their mark in the world, not by some vague dream of fame but by working in the key worker careers right in front of them”

Since the UK was put into lockdown, the profile of NHS workers, care workers and those people who work in the food supply chain has rightfully been raised.  The weekly ‘clap for NHS heroes’ has expanded to be a celebration of everyone who must risk catching the COVID:19 virus in order to keep the rest of fed and in the case of the NHS, keep us alive.

One thing that really concerns me is that when normality returns, and we go about our normal lives, we will forget these ‘key workers’ and go back to worshipping vacuous celebrities on Love Islands, overpaid footballers and wealthy movie stars.

In the midst of the COVID:19 crisis, with most of the population confined to their homes for the larger part of the day, we have all had the time to take a look at the world through different filter and with the noise of normal life gone, and a very clear and present danger outside our homes, we have begun to see what really matters to us.  Separated from loved ones, we can see that it is time with them that we need and miss.

It is an unescapable truth that over recent decades we have worshipped the rich and famous.  Many  kids began to believe the lie that ‘wining the X-Factor’ or some other generic talent show was a career choice, and it was not about the music, it was about the fame.

Football players have been able to earn obscene amounts of money ‘because winning is what matters’, and actors earn more money pretending to be surgeons and doctors saving lives than real surgeons and doctors could ever dream of earning for ACTUALLY saving lives.  This is a world gone mad.

We have the opportunity to change our nation for the better as a result of this health disaster by making our kids realise that they can genuinely make their mark in the world, not by some vague dream of fame but by working in the key worker careers right in front of them.

Whatever the education level of an individual, they can find their place in the health sector.  Not everyone can become a doctor, surgeon, radiographer, nurse or any of the medical careers that require qualifications, but everyone has a chance to become a care worker and although the doctors and nurses get most of the coverage, it is often care home workers or home support workers who can make the biggest change to the quality of life for the elderly or those with special care needs.

Care workers can make a real difference and be real heroes, every day, to someone.

Surely it is time to look at the world differently and reset things.  It has not been film stars, footballers, city financiers, Youtube influencers or reality stars who have been making a difference during the pandemic.

We need our young people to stop feeling that the only measure of a successful life and contribution to society is fame and money.

We have seen ordinary people do special things, from medical workers putting their lives at great risk for others, shop and food warehouse workers pulling long shifts to get food delivered, through to individuals like the now famous Captain Tom and his charitable efforts in aid of the NHS and Care Workers.  Let’s keep that better side of humanity alive after COVID:19, lets make sure our kids see the value in working in health and care sectors and we must push our politicians to keep their word and protect our amazing NHS.  Oh yes, they could also make sure that NHS workers and Care Sector workers get paid properly for the care that they give and the real difference that they make….we will be watching Boris.