Roland Boer's Blog, page 10

Epidemic responses: a comparison between socialist and capitalist systems

The restart of Hubei province, China

About a month earlier than expected, not only China but even Hubei province the former epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic is returning to normal life. My friends and colleagues in China tell me that this has already happened elsewhere in the country, with necessary temperature checks everywhere and health registration. A green health Continue reading The restart of Hubei province, China

Divorces to skyrocket after COVID-19 lockdowns are eased

As one wit put it recently, after the COVID-19 lockdowns, we can expect to see a spike in pregnancies (the Coronavirus boomers), divorces or mysterious disappearances. As for divorces, there are many things to be learned from the China Model (as more and more countries are finding out). But one unexpected or should it Continue reading Divorces to skyrocket after COVID-19 lockdowns are eased

This will not be forgotten: China, Russia and Cuba send much-needed aid to 82 countries

The world is certainly changing fast. I never thought I would see the day that IL76 Russian aerospace transport planes would land in Western Europe. 14 of them did precisely that in the last 48 hours, landing in a very grateful Italy with loads of medical supplies and personnel from Russia. Certainly a welcome sight, Continue reading This will not be forgotten: China, Russia and Cuba send much-needed aid to 82 countries

How to deal with an epidemic: a short documentary by Takeuchi Ryo

This short documentary by the Japanese film director, Takeuchi Ryo, shows how the city of Nanjing has managed not only to limit COVID-19 infections to 93, but to reduce them very quickly to 0. He and his family live in Nanjing, a city I have visited many times and where I have good friends. Note Continue reading How to deal with an epidemic: a short documentary by Takeuchi Ryo

A brief account of China’s response to the COVID-19 epidemic

In the few former colonising countries known as the West, a number of irresponsible media outlets wasted time trying to criticise China while the World Health Organisation (WHO) was urging the countries in question to act. So it is worth going over the facts in relation to the epidemic. I begin with three points consistently Continue reading A brief account of Chinas response to the COVID-19 epidemic

What would happen if Australia followed the China Model?

A short post. I have been doing some calculations. If Australia followed the China Model (as more and more countries are doing, the latest being New Zealand), the results would be as follows: 80,000 infections in a population of 1.4 billion is equivalent to 1370 infections in a population of 24 million (Australia). There is Continue reading What would happen if Australia followed the China Model?

Phases of Responses to an Epidemic

While holed up in a quiet corner as the COVID-19 epidemic sweeps the world, I have been intrigued by the worst and best in human responses to the epidemic. There seem at this stage to be a few phases, but I am sure there will be more as the epidemic unfolds over the rest of … Continue reading Phases of Responses to anEpidemic

The China Model: Bruce Aylward, head of WHO-China joint mission

Here are a series of sections from news conferences and interviews by Bruce Aylward, who is head of the World Health Organisation – China joint mission. They concern the COVID-19 outbreak. There are some overlaps between them, but the first deals with the immense collective response by the whole Chinese population, where the social good … Continue reading The China Model: Bruce Aylward, head of WHO-China jointmission

The China Model: World Health Organisation Report

A distinct feature of what they call the ‘China Model’ is that it is not forced upon others. The Chinese simply seek to do the best possible in any situation, after which they assess their capabilities and undertake measures to improve even more. If other countries wish to follow the China Model, they may do … Continue reading The China Model: World Health OrganisationReport