28 March, 2024

Blog

To Fight Covid-19 Is To Fight Its Lightning Transmission 

By Rajan Philips

Rajan Philips

The consensus within the medical scientific community cannot be clearer. There is no medication to treat the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19). And there is no vaccine to prevent it. The only weapon against the disease that is available for the next several weeks, even months, is to reduce or prevent community transmission of the virus. All the data on human to human transmission of the virus indicates that transmission occurs primarily through respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing between individuals in close contact. And transmission is also occurring at significant levels through  ‘asymptomatics’, virus carriers without any symptom. Therefore, social isolation is the only way to prevent disease transmission in the foreseeable near to medium term. 

The scale at which isolation should be conducted in every country is astounding and unprecedented. The effects of such isolation will be crippling on national economies and the world economy as a whole. Governments everywhere are facing two massive challenges, and all at the same time, like never before. Governmental capabilities and capacities to respond to the twin challenges vastly differ from country to country. Different countries like China, Italy and South Korea, with large numbers of caseloads have tried different degrees and methods of isolation with dramatically different results. The US and the British governments took too cavalier an approach to COVID-19 for too long, and are now scrambling to stem the inevitable surge in the number of cases that is widely expected. 

Sri Lankan authorities too were showing signs of nonchalance, bravado, and political calculations, but learnt their lesson rather quickly, in a matter of three days. After summarily rejecting calls to postpone the April parliamentary elections, the authorities hurriedly decided to postpone them indefinitely soon after nominations closed. And after spurning suggestions to implement a national clampdown to enforce social isolation, the government declared emergency and imposed national curfew over the weekend from Friday evening to Monday morning. The government has also banned pilgrimages, tours and leisure trips, called upon people to maintain a safe one metre distance between them, and ordered trains and buses to restrict passenger loads to half their seat capacity. These are all positive and necessary steps, better than the native bravado that no restrictions are necessary when war winners are in command. But much more needs to be done and consistently to prevent an exponential rise in the number of cases in Sri Lanka.               

The global and national increases in the number of cases over the last week (13 March to 20 March) are scary. The global total has doubled from 136,875 cases to 276,113 cases and 11,400 deaths. Only China and South Korea are showing some stabilization, around 81,000 and 8,700 cases, respectively. Everywhere else, the virus has gone exponential. The dramatic increases are in Western Europe, and the US total has risen from 1,264 to 19,640. South Asia, South America and Africa are no longer the spared oases they looked last week. India is up from 81 to 258 while Pakistan has vaulted to 501 from 20. Bangladesh (3 to 20) and Maldives (8 to 13) are holding steady for now. In Sri Lanka, the number of known cases has worryingly multiplied from 3 to 73 in one week. More worryingly, there are reportedly unaccounted arrivals from overseas before the current airport restrictions began, and who might potentially be virus carriers within the general population. 

Having great doctors and good hospitals is not enough in any country if the coronaviral disease surges beyond the country’s overall healthcare capacity. The healthcare problem for Sri Lanka is not the quality of its professionals but the capacity of its healthcare infrastructure. If the number of COVID-19 cases is allowed to increase to the point of overwhelming its healthcare capacity, the country will be in deep trouble. The system will have to cope with not only increasing numbers of COVID-19 patients, but also normal patients requiring hospital treatment. 

Given the relatively high proportion of elderly in the population, it will be a challenge to protect them from the virus and then treat them if they get infected. Limited capacity and overwhelming demand would mean doctors will be forced to perform the dreadful task of triaging – deciding the order of allocation of beds, especially ICU beds, among a large number of patients. And doctors and nurses will end up getting infected and worse. These are not scare stories but are already happening in Italy and in Iran.

Flattening the curve

There is an amazing array of scholarly scientific writings dealing with practically every aspect of the coronavirus that is appearing literally online and in real time. The two graphs below are among the hundreds that are in circulation, illustrating the now universal mantra of ‘flattening the curve’. They are based on simple mathematical models and are useful in illustrating the concept and its consequence for healthcare capacity.

The above set of graphs illustrate how the number of COVID-19 cases will rise, peak and fall under three conditions, viz., without any slowing down of disease transmission, with transmission reduced by 20%, and transmission reduced by 40%. Reducing the spread of the disease lowers the maximum number of cases while extending the duration of the epidemic, to manageable levels. 

The below set of graphs shows what is manageable. By slowing down the disease spread, the maximum number of cases in a country, or in areas within it, can be brought within its healthcare capacity – the number of hospitals, beds, ICU beds, care workers and professionals, and equipment. The failure to arrest the disease early on led to surges in China, Korea, Italy and now other West European countries, overwhelming their healthcare capacities. While China and Korea may have, hopefully, seen the worst off, others in that league are still struggling. Italy, especially northern Italy, has not been able to stem the spread at all despite a national shutdown for now over two weeks. Last week, Wednesday alone saw 4,207 new cases and a one-day death toll of 475. The highest single day national death total since the outbreak started in China. On Friday the daily death toll went past 500, a second record in two days.  

Italy provides the tragically classic case of both struggling to contain the disease and creating the surge capacity to treat the ballooning number of patients. Specific to COVID-19 and its treatment, Italian doctors have found that antivirals or other drugs are not working; what is apparently working is the ventilating of patients while keeping them facedown. Hence the dire need for ICU beds and ventilators in hospitals to pump oxygen into the lungs of COVID-19 patients whose signature symptom is difficulty in breathing.  

There are only four ventilator manufactures in Europe, and one of them is in Italy. All exports of ventilators and other emergency equipment are now banned, and this will create downstream problems in importing countries. For example, Vietnam, India, Korea and the Philippines have all paid for and were expecting delivery 320 ventilators in total among them from Italy. But Italy’s sole manufacturer of ventilators, Siare Engineering International, has cancelled the exports and distributed the machines internally. Italy is not able to get any supplementary supply from EU countries, who are having the same problem. China has committed to supply 1,000 ventilators to Italy. 

Western countries are finally fearing the worst and are directing their manufacturers to retool their assembly lines to produce ventilators and other emergency medical equipment in large numbers and in short order. In the US, the military has resources to produce temporary hospitals to provide surge capacity, and has about ten ventilator manufacturers. But equipment supply continues to be a problem, especially emergency equipment for healthcare professionals. The US government has ordered modifying masks manufactured for construction workers to supply hospital personnel. That has instantly increased the supply from three million to 35 million, but getting them across to hospitals is still a challenge.

During the SARS crisis in Canada, over 40% of those who died were healthcare professionals. It has been reported that in the current COVID-19 outbreak, no healthcare professional has been infected in Singapore, Taiwan, or Hong Kong. In Italy and Iran, on the other hand, doctors are treating fellow doctors as COVID-19 patients.   

Data from China, Italy and the US are also showing that no age group is particularly safe even though the really old and the elderly are the most vulnerable. Data also shows that regardless of age, people with pre-existing medical conditions are vulnerable to COVID-19. In Italy and in the US, all age groups require hospital admission and ICU beds, which adds to the overall demand on healthcare capacity.       

There are ongoing clinical trials to repurpose existing antiviral drugs to treat Covid-19 patients. Two that are most mentioned are chloroquine, an anti-malaria drug, and remdesivir, an Ebola drug. Both are being tried in clinical trials in China, South Korea and France, and chloroquine has apparently “shown promise.” While the medical community in the US is cautiously divided, Donald Trump is creating confusion by publicly pushing for chloroquine to be widely administered. The search for the vaccine and its eventual finding is still a long process. But there has never been such a concerted global effort to get a cure or a vaccine as it is being done now to overcome the coronavirus.   

The specialist global watchers of COVID-19 are contrasting the different approaches – the harsh and lockdown approach in China and Italy, and the transparent and public-co-operative approach in South Korea. South Korea’s massive testing program has been identified as the “linchpin” of its success. The testing is either free, if referred by a doctor or displaying symptoms, or available at the affordable (in South Korea) cost of US$135 per test. The massive test program, data management, disease tracking and selective geographical interventions to isolate patients are the sum of the South Korean response. Similar outcomes have been noted in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, all of whom along with South Korea are the wiser after their experience with past outbreaks of respiratory diseases like SARS and MERS.      

Sri Lanka’s only option in fighting Covid-19 is to go flat out to flatten the curve and to prevent an exponential rise in the number of patients. The government must enlist modelling specialists to monitor the disease spread data and develop ‘a curve’ specific to Sri Lanka and use it as guidance to stay ‘ahead of the curve’ as far as possible. Regional variations will have to be accounted for in developing the curve, monitoring the spread, and mobilizing the response. So far, the cases in Sri Lanka appear to be more concentrated in the districts of Gampaha, Colombo and Puttalam. 33% of them under 40 years old. The government may have to adopt a blended approach involving necessary harshness and consistent smartness. 

Given South Korea’s experience based on extensive testing program, the Sri Lankan government must do all it can to get South Korean help to administer a similar approach in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has reasonably significant individual and institutional resources for undertaking such a task with outside help. The government would be smart to try that while maintaining maximum social distancing. 

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Latest comments

  • 1
    1

    Sri Lanka can not dependant Vaccines developed the western block. That will drain the Sri Lankan economy. Another reason is the virus does not stay the same from year to year. It mutates so the vaccine has to be reinvented and manufactured.
    Sri Lanka should begin it’s own immunology departments and another thing is license registration of Interferon B manufacturing obtained from the Cuban company. Interferon B has a version for Dengue too.
    On the other hand, as Corona Virus is heavily dependant animal bodies to live, As Sri Lanka is not a prominent animal carcass consumer, after some time, Corona Virus may not be a big issue.
    Even then, Sri Lanka must prepare for illnesses brought by tourists and introduced because political intentions.

    • 2
      1

      Let s hope that HAMUDURU BPs would not mislead the nation – let alone in terms of Corona catastrophe.
      :
      In a country – where a rainbow effects on higher physical structures would be interpreted by HAMUDURUWOS as BUDURAS – the radiation of the lord buddha.

      In a country – water snakes to be carriers of DHATHU – as narrated by Chief Incumbent priest of Kelaniya temple – even if world researchers would laught him at showing him the posterior…. but lacks of worshipers still today are in the view that was a truth ?

      In a country- eyes touching YAKADURAS as healers get red carpet treatments by over 5000 people a day

      In a country- where ASTROLOGERS and GODA WEDA MAHANTHUN decide the destiny of the people –

      Danger of COVID-19 SPREAD could be even more dangerous as i see it.


      People.. please take good care of you… never forget to CLEAN your house hold with KUKUMA containing waters/ or using cheaply available soaps.. that can surely keep you away from getting caught by CORONA.. also never ignore what MEDICAL doctors have to say about the virus.

      • 1
        1

        Where are the Yellow Robes? why cannot these Mahanayakas hold any pirith ceremony to chase this Korona Devil which is destroying our country. Tourism came to 0 level. Over 60 factories closed five star hotels became free star hotels. all the ministers gone underground in fear of the Korona. Minister Rambukwella told that he will destroy the Corona in 24 Hrs. but it is spreading widely all over the country.

        • 2
          0

          Rajan: What bunch of Bunk! Covid 19 does not spread like lightening in tropical countries, the infection rate is low, only 90 after 3 months and no one has died, but the whole country and economy is being locked down and destroyed by the senseless Rajapaksa brothers regime who have not clue about data driven and evidence based policy making.
          Just like the biggest Rogue state in the world that manufactures 60 percent of all weapons starts wars and then sells weapons to boost its economy, Covid 19 panic will boost the Big Pharmaceutical companies product sales and profits – all this will of course make America great again – except as usual the plan has backfired!

        • 0
          0

          Abul Sabry
          Perhaps we can use some of the swords that were kept in certain places to cut grass, and behead the virus . Would be a great first anniversary gift to the nation .

    • 0
      0

      I hope this Government isn’t downplaying the number of Covid19 cases!

  • 1
    2

    I do not know how the health check program of Sri Lankan Customs at the entry points is working. Sri Lanka did not have Leprosy. But, it has Leprosy now. So, they may have to ask certain vaccination certificates incoming tourists and residents, travellers etc..

  • 3
    2

    For Sri Lanka, we can be specific and say it is MMV-19 (Medamulana Musalaya Virus) in comparison with global Covid-19!

    • 2
      2

      Meer,
      exactly, I could not say it better.
      :
      He the duo enjoys and the people are now thrown to problems.
      :
      Medamula BP made every efforts to abuse his power having appointed, Gigolos as Tourism directors – I am talking about Iraja BP WEERATNA who would live up on the excreta of Medamulana BPs.
      This man, for some ways, promoted CHINESE arrivals, also some EU arrivals, telling that srilanka is the only good and careful destination for tourists to arrive… corona free bla bla.. but never thought, that our UNSKILLED workers doing their jobs in Italy and Korea would abuse this nation – entering unnecesaarily into the country.
      We have good example as incumbent Army commander reiterates, that some among those entered the coutry went missing – never came to quarantining…. yet today. Most of them are COVID-19 INFECTed and they may have infected lot more thousands in areas where they are freely roaming yet today.
      :
      Rajakashe politics, ruined the country again – not having studied the CORONA catastorphe and its danger enough as if unskilled workers would not know the meaning of viral infection.
      :
      After APPOINTING high criminals to the office, the nation faces the CONSEQUENCES today. A president who cant ban a SCHOOL cricket match, how could he govern the nation ?
      Local media made him a hero, and a leader that would take bold actions, but today, he is made a timid person, who knows nothing but to stammer.. hiki hik.. only.
      Gotabaya is made payiyagala lebbe to the nation today.

  • 2
    5

    let all fucking atheists learn a lesson from this.

  • 4
    2

    Another important thing is so-called politicians making irresponsible and hostile remarks to fool the country. We can understand that Sarath fonseka made an irresponsible remark because (he should not have thought) for something. Raajitha Senarathne says e knows about medicine and about Health. Yet he made a stupid comment picking from social media when govt wanted to question him (because he has a certain hidden history) he said he also picked it from the social media. THAT IS VERY VERY IRRESPONSIBLE FOR A DOCTOR (even the dentist must know something about virus attacks) then he was the former HEALTH MINISTER. He just tried to fool the country and fortunately the new govt was alert on his drama.Scaring off People by supposed to be responsible people is really disasterous.

  • 2
    1

    I am impressed by the mass of facts and quantitative analysis of the issue at hand, described in this article. By strict controls, we can prevent the spread and I believe that the measures taken are adequate to create the necessary person to person distancing. The consequent dip in the economy due to this distancing can be compensated by introducing more work from home type of arrangements, greatly facilitated by electronic communications.

  • 2
    1

    The people on the photograph are too close to each other.
    1.5 m is what is recommended!!!!

    • 5
      1

      What about the dumb Min of Health kissing the Chinese woman when she was released. How stupid could that be ?This minister must be not only illiterate but also thick as two planks in her head

      • 3
        5

        Rama,
        Dumbo, At the time Minister of Health kissed the Chinese lady, she knew for sure that the Chinese lady is free of the virus.
        Minister of Health is not illiterate like descendants of slaves.

        • 3
          3

          Feagele beagle fie: Perhaps you’ve overlooked that our fair health minister might have been infected and passed on the virus to the recovered chinese patient? And besides, is it correct to set such a poor example of bogus “warmth” by hugging and kissing the recovered patient when the world says “keep your fu*k*ng distance???

          You dumbo Feagle, Beagle Fie.

      • 1
        4

        We cured Tamil lady and were are veryproud of that achievement, Minister kissed her from the bottom of her heart. descendants of slaves cannot understand love that exists between free people of Sri Lanka and China

    • 2
      1

      Wimpy,

      The norms are not valid in a country that is being governed by rascals.
      :
      Price hikes, and COVID 19 catastrophy .. are the curse as we expected, since the people of this country arbitorily thought that Rajakshe would do good to the nation.

  • 0
    0

    This is a Medical Emergency, the Doctors should be in Front-Line in mobilizing Policy, Priorities and Coordinated Action Plan. The DHS should be empowered, and needs Medical Professional/Medical Administrative support. Tri-Force’s and Politician’s current role seems improperly aligned, as they can perform better to implement Medical Road-Map.

  • 5
    0

    Succinct and very relevant effort. Congratulations. A must read.

  • 1
    3

    Israel PM is ready to vacate office and form a coalition with the Centrist Parties to save the Nation.
    =
    Although we have a new PM, he has no Budget to get the resources and fight the CORONA.
    Because the Centrist and Capitalists who are still in Parliament as a Majority didn’t give him one.

    Wonder whether the new UNP Dalit Party lead by the Opposition Leader from Keslwatta offer his Faction to pass a badly needed Budget, to help Prez Nandasena a free hand to save the Nation from Corona Virus as well as the current Economic Virus which in Tandem are decimating the inhabitant population..

    • 2
      1

      Mr Sumanasekera, please familiarise yourself with Canada’s response. They have a minority government and no budget, but have risen to the challenge like your moda Gota cannot dream of.

      Let the medical pro-s take charge of policy in this crisis and let the vaunted strong man deliver. I sense he is grossly out of his depth though, poor bast*rd.

      • 0
        2

        Just in Case,

        I just read in Aljezeera that the Kanadian death toll from Corona has jumped by 50%.
        So I don’t think you should be recommending it to anyone let alone to Prez Nandasena.in Lankawe.

        BTW , are you a mate of that Tamil from the North ,Jaffna now living in Scarborough.

        Usually he is the one who advice our non Yahapalana inhabitants what to do and what not to do in good times as well as bad times.

        Wonder whether he has gone into self quarantine ..

  • 4
    1

    A very constructive essay. Let us pray that the authorities rise up to the task.

  • 3
    1

    Mr. Rajan Phillips,

    Thanks for your article . The ignorant must be informed and educated, by whatever means necessary. China has no new cases.

    “There is no medication to treat the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19). And there is no vaccine to prevent it. The only weapon against the disease that is available for the next several weeks, even months, is to reduce or prevent community transmission of the virus. All the data on human to human transmission of the virus indicates that transmission occurs primarily through respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing between individuals in close contact. And transmission is also occurring at significant levels through ‘asymptomatics’, virus carriers without any symptom. Therefore, social isolation is the only way to prevent disease transmission in the foreseeable near to medium term“

    Scientists and doctors usually do not over promise, let you know the actual situation, unlike the politicians and the religious leaders, their ideologies being true.

    So, some people are confused. Donald Trump initially dismissed it, as a democratic hoax, but later came around. Now there are 23,000 cases and 302 deaths in the USA today. Valuable time was lost due to Trumph’s intransigence.

    There are still many people, especially millennials and generation X, who seem to be the primary vehicles for transmission.

    Are the Sri Lankan politicians finally getting it? Recently, the President GR did not have the leadership and guts to stop the Royal-Thomian cricket match, and overrule imbecile students and organizers, and monks who wanted the butterfly mountain pilgrimage continued.

  • 1
    1

    Rajan Phillips,

    Thanks for your article. There is no magic drug out there.

    A new study from China shows that 4 out of 5 people who contacted the COVID-19 virus got it from those who did not know they had the virus, the carriers.

    Yes, people need to practice social distancing and personal distancing. Make the assumption that the person next to you is a carrier who can infect you.

    Cultural, religious and social etiquette must be put aside during these extraordinary times, as China, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore have demonstrated.

  • 1
    1

    How the damn hell to fight it ?

    How can the government do anything at all ?

    All The governmemt’s efforts are wasted .

    In Jaffna a irresponsible Pastor was tested positive and now you need to shut down jaffna immideitly and besides I was told some Muslims held friday prayer at houses , even after The ACJU pleaded to refrain from congregational prayer , it does not matter where you gather , mosque church or houses its the same .
    What ignorance of God and faith by these Abrahamic groups who should actually be the ones guiding others about rationlity.

    I hope The government will pass a law to arrest and fine any form of large gathering without MOD approval .

    Why should our forces , police and the healthcare worker put thier life on the line for such irresponsible and stupid lot who want to drag the entire population to death, which is already so small and lost enough in the war and last easter bombing .

    No other way to deal with some of our people but iron fist .

    If anybody thinks the traitors who came from overseas are hiding in Gampha and Colombo , sorry to dissapoint you all; these are people whose head is full of mush and they do not care , By now you never know they may have gone deep into our villagers and infecting our poor innocent villagers.

    There should be an islandwide hunt.

    People have still not realised what we are fighting and dealing with. Its an invisible enemy .

    • 1
      1

      Mr. Rajan Phillips,

      Thanks for your article . The ignorant must be informed and educated, by whatever means necessary. China has no new cases.

      “There is no medication to treat the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19). And there is no vaccine to prevent it. The only weapon against the disease that is available for the next several weeks, even months, is to reduce or prevent community transmission of the virus. All the data on human to human transmission of the virus indicates that transmission occurs primarily through respiratory droplets from coughing and sneezing between individuals in close contact. And transmission is also occurring at significant levels through ‘asymptomatics’, virus carriers without any symptom. Therefore, social isolation is the only way to prevent disease transmission in the foreseeable near to medium term“

      Scientists and doctors usually do not over promise, let you know the actual situation, unlike the politicians and the religious leaders, their ideologies being true.

      So, some people are confused. Donald Trump initially dismissed it, as a democratic hoax, but later came around. Now there are 23,000 cases and 302 deaths in the USA today. Valuable time was lost due to Trumph’s intransigence.

      There are still many people, especially millennials and generation X, who seem to be the primary vehicles for transmission.

      Are the Sri Lankan politicians finally getting it? Recently, the President GR did not have the leadership and guts to stop the Royal-Thomian cricket match, and overrule imbecile students and organizers, and monks who wanted the butterfly mountain pilgrimage continued.

      • 2
        2

        Sorry buddy, the Sri Lankan politicians never get anything except a cold and fever and now the COVID-19. The problem is we do not have a proper leader a man who did not even have to guts to stop the big match. He spends probably all his time visiting public institutions and lecturing on stupid so called management things whereas he cannot even manage but the people have given him, May be the vegetable vendors and fish mongers could have had a LOL. This imbecilic government should be told franky to “Get Lost””

    • 3
      1

      Fahim Knight,

      “ I was told some Muslims held friday prayer at houses , even after The ACJU pleaded to refrain from congregational prayer , it does not matter where you gather , mosque church or houses its the same .”
      “What ignorance of God and faith by these Abrahamic groups who should actually be the ones guiding others about rationality”.

      Religions are not based on rationality. It is based on fear, emotion, traditions, brainwashings. Since they did not get there based on reason, for many you cannot get them out by reason based in the degree of brainwashings.

      Is there any unequivocal data for any faithful or believer to have attained or got to Nirvana, Nibbana or Heaven yet? So far, no.

      The COVID-19 virus is very egalitarian. It seems to infect humans and dogs, dogs getting from humans.

      Social isolation and personal isolation is the best course of action. Those who congregate in houses for worship, going to cricket matches, climbing the butterfly mountain are displaying their ignorance and stupidity, as they are imbeciles with mean IQ 79.

      • 0
        1

        @Amerasiri ,
        As far as I know , Islam started with a very rational School of thought during the Golden ages , some of its thoughts are todate part of all Sects of Shite Ali ( Party of Ali) ‘Islam .
        .I do not want to comment any further ;you know the reasons better am.sure mate ..
        Cheers stay safe .?
        Fahim Knight

        • 1
          1

          Fahim Knight,

          “As far as I know , Islam started with a very rational School of thought during the Golden ages ,…”

          Read up on Ibn Rushd, aka Averroes ( 1126-1198) and his works, about 900 years ago. For hegemony reasons, the Ulama did not like him, and hit the ruler to punish him, ban and burn his books.

          “Philosophy and Religion are not incompatible”-Ibn Rushd
          “Philosophers believe that religious laws are necessary political arts” -Ibn Rishd

          Ibn Rushd in his darkest hour

          https://english.alaraby.co.uk/english/artsandculture/2015/4/9/ibn-rushd-in-his-darkest-hour

          Despite his philosophical brilliance Ibn Rushd was banished and his writings burnt.

          There is often a return to superstitions in societies, the shunning of science, the supremacy of intellectual terrorism, the spread of tribal and sectarian divisions and wars, and the persecution of every free thinker to the point of exile or murder.

          However, when talking about the trials of a philosopher like Ibn Rushd in the 12th century it is important to remember attacks on rational science, especially logic, began in Abbasid Baghdad under caliphs who were parrots in cages in the 10th century.

          A final reason offered was Ibn Rushd’s book The Incoherence of the Incoherence, in which he responded to the fallacies of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali’s The Incoherence of Philosophers. He did this despite knowing Ghazali was the master of the Almohad dynasty who were in power, and believed the earth was located between the horns of a bull.

          Ibn Rushd was summoned to the Mansur’s court, publically insulted and cursed and accused of heresy. The king ordered him to be exiled along with anyone who spoke about philosophy.

    • 1
      1

      Fahim Knight ,

      “How the damn hell to fight it ?”

      “How can the government do anything at all ?”

      Ask the Chinese, South Koreans, Taiwanese and the Singaporeans. They know how. Their mean measured IQ is between 106-108, wheres for the Paras in the Land of Native Veddah Aethjo, the measured mean IQ is 79.

      All the Paras need to do is learn. Can they learn? Will their low mean measured IQ of 79, be an impediment?

      Prostration to monks, going to temples , churches or mosques will not sol solve it. In fact it will worsen it.

  • 2
    0

    Western countries are finally fearing the worst , Every person is value to get proper treatment be treated equlaly the coughing can cause others to sick or on death status, not the Armed power Strenght will not try to make yourself great by making someone else look small

  • 2
    0

    The Government must prevent situations which will result in people getting close to each other, as we saw when curfew was declared. All the buses and trains were jam packed with people. There was no social distancing! God knows, where the corona virus would have spread to.
    The Government must anticipate such situations and issue tough measures to prevent people gathering and getting close to each other. Offering subsidized food items is the height of stupidity at a time like this.

    • 2
      0

      Kalu Nangiyo,
      how can they do so, while they themselves are not respecting the laws.
      ;
      Germany s Dr Merkel holds speeches almost every day motivating people, while so called lanken leaders make every efforet to fish in muddy waters.
      :
      Nepal has not allowed their number be grown, since they managed it nicely, but PER CAPITA in Nepal is very low compared to that of srilanka.
      :
      Even african countries did it, because they were well alert, but even if we are island nations, STUPID DUO as leaders, enjoyed school cricket matches not having done the due at the very begining.
      They just thought ARMY or forces would do the job properly, but even if GMOA are their men, DUO never listened to them. I think, now the danger is being realized the nation…. but you never know, since THai number go up unexpectedly.

      Lankens should finally learn that we are also an another POOR nation that cant even afford – cheap mouth masks for entire nation… they should fall down and try to live up -down to earth style-
      Overestimations and self glorifications tactis of LEADERSHIP brought the people in difficulties.
      They did not impose SURVELLANCE tactics equally to all nations. Chinese were kept above and made false videos spreading that the country is safe, the backfired by now, putting the people in diffiuculties.

  • 3
    1

    Probably the most lucid article I have read by anyone, anywhere, on the Covid crisis. Thank you.

    • 5
      2

      That means DJ, you have not read enough.
      :
      How can you, so long BPs in Rajapakshe clan would not allow it ?

    • 4
      0

      Dayan Jayatilaka,

      Can you educate your peers at Phottuwa, and other parties, even though the mean IQ is 79, and nearly 50 percent believe that the Sun goes around the Earth, based on the Sun rising from the East and settling in the West.

      The COVID-19 seems to be very egalitarian, treating the rich, poor, intelligent, stupid, religions, non-religions fairly equally, given the opportunity.

      May be it is the COVID-19, that will get the crooks and criminals, along with the innocents, a Solomon and Gomorrah.

      • 0
        0

        @Amerasiri
        Wonder what Mr.Sinhala_Man , thought or said when DJ twisted his tongue about GR before elections ?

        —-

      • 0
        0

        Amare, What is Dayan’s IQ according to your calculations?..

  • 3
    1

    Only medical doctors and similar professionals should be permitted to make statements on Covid19 via the media.
    Disallow politicians and religious heads from mouthing off on the issue.
    Detain indefinitely those advertising and selling ayurvedic preparations and other fake remedies for the virus.
    Drum it into everybody that there is no vaccine, medicinal remedy [Western or Eastern] or religious mixture that will make them immune to the disease.
    Only isolating themselves and a little luck may work.

    • 3
      1

      Dionysus ,

      “Only medical doctors and similar professionals should be permitted to make statements on Covid19 via the media”

      Why can’t Wimal Buruwansa of 2/2=0 fame, make a statement? Did he come down with the Covid-19 virus? Ganasara? Gon Rajapaksa, etc.

      Time to teach molecular biology and virology to the imbeciles, to save themselves.

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    For all I know , all those who came from overseas and abscounding may be in Jaffna , no wonder the pastor is effected.

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    Social isolation is the only way to prevent disease transmission in the foreseeable near to medium term opines Rajan Philips. I would not say the Pontiff has spoken or the Oracle has spoken, but the million dollar question is what would be the Time distance between NEAR and MEDIUM? A few weeks to few Months ? or a few Months to few Years?
    Is social isolation possible for such lengthy periods?
    The logical way out is to develop the Vaccine or whatever to treat the disease head-on!

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    Sri Lanka must now take control of the parasites that have wrecked it for decades on end. As a primary measure, all private hospitals must be taken over and run as public health facilities. All large hotels should be used to accommodate emergency workers that include health, civil and military sectors. All the loot from Helping Hambanthota to tsunami to bond scam from Cabraal to Mahendran and every other rascal must be taken over and auctioned, from which moneys purchase of new ventilators, ICU beds and updating of hospitals should be done as a matter of priority. All luxury vehicles given to MPs should be sold off and the moneys used to pay the daily-wage earners who will otherwise starve with the curfews in force. The game of watching and waiting can be disastrous as SL is not at all geared to handle an overwhelming load of casualties while the looted treasures remain among a handful of parasitic vermin.

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