Roland Boer's Blog, page 8

A Unique Chinese Approach: Traditional Chinese Medicine Effective in Treating COVID-19

Traditional Chinese Medicine has played an important role in treating COVID-19 patients in China. As part of the socialist systems mobilisation of all its resources to contain the epidemic, the largest number of TCM specialists 4,900 ever mobilised went to Wuhan at the height of the outbreak. The focus was primarily on ensuring Continue reading A Unique Chinese Approach: Traditional Chinese Medicine Effective in Treating COVID-19

No one is left behind: 88 percent of critically ill patients now recovering in China

A signature feature of China smashing the curve of the COVID-19 epidemic is that no one is left behind. This including hospitalising all people who have this type of coronavirus and then locating them in a hospital (or section thereof) in terms of whether they have mild, moderate, severe or critical symptoms. At the height Continue reading No one is left behind: 88 percent of critically ill patients now recovering in China

Which countries have the most reliable COVID-19 data?

China, Germany and Russia. A quick answer, but I have my reasons. As for China, the tradition of recording, verifying and maintaining such records is a very old tradition indeed. The practice goes back to the time of Confucius during the Warring States period more than 2000 years ago. It is primarily a written tradition, Continue reading Which countries have the most reliable COVID-19 data?

Debunking the myth of the Wuhan seafood market, part 3: Italian medical scientists begin looking for evidence of COVID-19 months earlier

Intriguingly, this story has not been picked by the twisted perspectives of the vast majority of Western media outlets. In Italy, some medical scientists want to investigate an earlier spike in 2019 of flu-related pneumonia deaths, seeking permission to check hospital records and exhume bodies to examine them. The distinct possibility is that the conoravirus Continue reading Debunking the myth of the Wuhan seafood market, part 3: Italian medical scientists begin looking for evidence of...

Updated calculation: COVID-19 infections in terms of percentage of population

In a previous post, I pointed out that the most accurate gauge of the COVID-19 pandemic is to assess the numbers in terms of percentage of population, rather than absolute numbers. So here is an update, based on the numbers at the China Daily site, which are here and here. (By the way, do not Continue reading Updated calculation: COVID-19 infections in terms of percentage of population

Two cultural shifts underway: chopsticks and facemasks

It seems as though we are in extraordinary circumstances witnessing two rapid cultural shifts. Under normal circumstances, cultural assumptions and practices have a remarkable inertia. But times of crisis are different. Change 1: Social eating practices in China. A couple of years ago, I was visiting the southern province of Guangdong. At the Continue reading Two cultural shifts underway: chopsticks and facemasks

National day of mourning in China, 4 April 2020

Today the Qingming Festival was a national day of mourning in China for those who have died from the COVID-19 epidemic. At 10.00am, 1.4 billion people all stopped and bowed their heads for 3 minutes. Sirens, car horns, ship horns you name it all wailed for the full 3 minutes. Many Continue reading National day of mourning in China, 4 April 2020

Nor will this be forgotten: USA hijacks facemask shipments bound for France, Germany and Canada

In contrast to Chinas assistance in terms of medical experts and equipment to more than 100 countries, along with assistance given by Russia and Cuba to a smaller number, the United States has been stealing medical shipments bound for other countries. As a German politician put it, this is modern piracy. First there was the Continue reading Nor will this be forgotten: USA hijacks facemask shipments bound for France, Germany and Canada

National day of mourning on 4 April 2020 in China – Qingming Festival

On the fourth of April, 2020 (tomorrow as I write), China will hold a national day of mourning for all those who have died in the COVID-19 epidemic. This is very appropriate, since this is also the date of the Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Festival. This is the day when you honour and remember your Continue reading National day of mourning on 4 April 2020 in China Qingming Festival

Western media unlocked: hypocrisy behind COVID-19 reports

For more than a year now I have not read or listened to any Western media outlets. The initial reason was that I began to notice that even though they all proclaimed to be presenting facts independent of ideology, they would all fall into line when the Western liberal order needed to be defended. The Continue reading Western media unlocked: hypocrisy behind COVID-19 reports