The “Maybe”s and “Who Knows?” of COVID-19

Maybe!

Maybe epidemiology is a science still in its infancy? And, rife with superstition, and rote learning. Maybe medicine is almost hopelessly out of touch with the times. Maybe medicine has lost the art of diagnosis. Maybe there’s no such thing as instant science that you stir up like Koolaid?

Maybe this “war” will be more like WW1, than WW2? Trench warfare; but no atom bomb to end it all in a blinding flash. The agonizing dread of death from, “above.” Death without warning, without reason, without consideration.

Maybe the “Curve” illustrates perfectly the insanity of the marriage of medicine, government, and media? Maybe reducing human suffering, and death, to a curved, or straight line, is stupid, and just plain wrong. Or even inhuman. Maybe the pandemic is not a bell curve at all, but a steep climb, and then a long plateau, that erodes gradually to: A NUMBER THAT IS NOT ZERO!.

Maybe Trump can’t pour piss out of a boot, with instructions written under the heel? Maybe he really is the most incompetent man who has ever lived, and a million people will die to prove it. People who seem to want to die. Americans.

Maybe the super-rich aren’t of any use for anything important? Maybe they are really just bums, always begging for a handout? When Bill Gates was asked by Trevor Noah about segments of the economy needing bailout, he sheepishly mentioned his own. Aren’t computers, and spacecraft, and electric vehicles, and new vaccines the product of a generation, and a people? Why are they owned by any individual? And, why on earth should an industry that concentrates so much wealth into so few hands need taxpayers to bail it out?

Maybe our political system is DOA, unresponsive and displaying the “death pallor?” Maybe it died long ago? Maybe neither our political system, our legal system, or our health care system were ever even supposed to be: “for the people.” Maybe we should have learned a long time ago to keep our mouths shut and do what we are told concerning medicine, as in everything else, including our bodies. “We only live to serve you, Master!”

Maybe nearly everyone, except the “boy in the bubble,” have been exposed to Coronavirus; and almost all have developed antibodies?

Maybe doctors still can’t tell the difference between a “transmitted” case and a significant relapse? Or a “cured” from a “never had it.” It’s shocking how much doctors still don’t know as the pandemic drags on.

Maybe nearly all survivors (I do not say, “cured;” because no one could know that for certain, as yet) will relapse in flu season?

MAYBE NEARLY ALL OF THE RELAPSE CASES WILL BE A RELATIVELY HARMLESS 24-HOUR VIRUS?

Maybe everyone should have health insurance?

Maybe the health professions should take a whiff of the air outside the box (“Intubation May Not Always Be The Best Solution!”)

Maybe a Real Estate Shyster and a bunch of brain-dead mobsters are not the best choice to lead a global pandemic response?

Maybe the Obama-Trump transition meeting on a potential pandemic staged the week before the Inaugural, should have been a meeting of minds; instead of being a meeting of top professionals and physicians, on the Obama side; and Trump’s, ‘Legion of the Lame’, and various tRump-kissers on the other.

Maybe Trump shouldn’t have dismantled the global pandemic network by stopping research and development. And crippling physicians by destroying data. China, working in collaboration with the Trump Administration, has engaged in an orchestrated campaign of concealing and corrupting fundamental data. Inside China, where freedom does not exist, they have really worked this angle. “No harm, no foul.” Inside America, where freedom is estranged, we are treated like Chinese peasants.

Maybe there are 1000 times more cases worldwide, and 25 times more deaths, than we know. Maybe every country should have a STOP! program; that allows a “Chief Pandemic Response Team” to isolate a country or region in a matter of hours?

Maybe the various stockpiles should be carefully examined, corrected, and validated by new law. Maybe Congresspersons who pervert and corrupt legislation with superfluous amendments should be taken out and shot.

Maybe the rank and file of the House and Senate should mutiny.

Maybe the leaders of Congress learned everything that they know about pandemic response as they went along, just making it up. And, maybe they learned more slowly than the average one of us would have, or even the average fifth-grader? But then, look what they had for leadership!

Maybe we’re ready now for a “limited Presidency.”

Maybe, if our Congresspersons spent their time becoming better at their jobs, and not with their hands out begging; they might actually be able to save lives in an emergency, instead of looking like complete fools; and tools of organized crime?

Maybe, “Division at all cost,” and, “Politics as usual,” just caused tens of thousands of unnecessary deaths? Or, how many? How many are enough – Mississippi? Michigan? How many deaths will it take to satisfy your bloodlust.

Maybe there’s one idiot, someone about like Hannity or Limbaugh, who believes that an Obama-lead response, or an “anything-led” response, would not have saved lives compared to the joke in poor taste we are witnessing?

Maybe, we’ll win the next one?

Maybe Trump will be re-elected. And maybe the virus comes back in the fall. And we aren’t strong enough to survive them both a second time? Poor Trump: No one left to hate!

Maybe we’ll be happier as also-rans in science, diplomacy, finance. It was probably an illusion anyway; like Trump’s fortune. Trump’s “Bump” was a bump off – a hit job on the Economy. His “America” was the mark. The murder victim.

But, not quite yet. There’s something about us Americans: We can put up with a lot, but, comes a time when we square our shoulders and say: “No more! You son of a bitch.” We’ve had enough!

Boiled down to its essence, the response of science, and medicine, to the Coronavirus has been: “This is very difficult and will take at least two years, but we are on familiar ground – and we know what we are doing.” That doesn’t seem to be the case. Medicine turns out to be: “a timorous, cowerin’ beastie;” moving in half-starts and hesitations. Thrown up on the rocks for fear by a hater of science. A profoundly ignorant man. A thug.

Trump and his fools believe in something; even if it is chaos and destruction, the death of civility, and the repudiation of law and justice. I’m getting the impression that doctors don’t believe in medicine. If they did, then they would fight for it!