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COVID 19 in the USA

IT IS WORSE THAN YOUR WORST NIGHTMARE

Less than 6 months ago, the world heard for the first time about the SARS-CoV-2 virus, better known as COVID-19. Today as I am writing this, the official count from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center is that worldwide over 10 million persons are/were infected, and half a million people have died from it. A total of 188 countries is hit by the virus. The sad thing is that we all know that these numbers are incorrect because of underreporting.

I normally don’t want to give this column a political angle, but, I am sorry, I cannot stand anymore how a country that considers itself a leading country in the world has become the example of total mismanagement and disaster. The “leader” of this country, President Donald J Trump is so full of himself with many self-congratulatory statements that he is unable to differentiate between what is right or wrong. Or is it that he does not want to see it (which is more likely). Maybe the world would be better off if he would put his ostrich policy into practice by putting his head in the sand and leave it there.

As I mentioned before, there is underreporting. Today the number of persons infected in the USA are 2.5 million, however, even this weekend when I am writing this, the US Center of Disease Control issued a statement that the true numbers could be 10 times higher. One would think that a “leading” country would learn something from it. That does not seem to happen in the USA and that is where I want to focus on in this column.
What really upset me was a briefing of the White House Coronavirus Task Force on Friday June 26 where things were said that were wrong, false, misleading, and just disgusting. The Vice-President stated that enormous progress has been made, the economy had opened, and the States had opened in a safe and responsible manner. Really? Doesn’t he know that most of the States see an enormous increase in COVID-19 cases? Doesn’t he hear that hospitals are worried to be overloaded with new patients? And then he states that the new patients are young patients and that is a good thing. I was ready to vomit when I had that. What a nonsense!
Who are they thinking they are talking to? Do they really believe that the people who are watching the briefing cannot think? There is no medical expert in the Task Force who would accept the kind of nonsense from any of their students and one can only wonder how they must be biting their tongues. One day we will learn how they really feel being exploited. My guess is that there must be a feeling that it is better to be “in the tent” and exert some influence

Let us go through some of the “statements” of the chief truth-manipulator who is trying to convince his base to be re-elected in November. Here are a few things that he has said:

  • We have less than 15 persons infected and soon it will be zero
  • The virus will miraculously disappear
  • You need to try to use hydroxychloroquine
  • We have the best testing system in the world
  • We have the highest number of ventilators
  • We should investigate spraying Lysol in the lungs
  • I was the first to block travel from China
  • The only reason we have so many patients is because we are testing so much
  • If you do not do testing, you will have no patients
  • I do not want the press seeing me wearing a mask

Not surprisingly, after the event where he made the ridiculous proposal to use disinfectant sprays in the lungs, the daily press briefings disappeared. In that “briefing” incomplete data were presented. How can you make statements that progress is being made, while every day records are broken with new cases? The growth is exponential, and the numbers go through the roof. Just look at some examples in Florida, Texas, and California.

The amazing thing is that the top of the government does not seem to care. The chief ventriloquist who calls himself Vice-President, is just a puppeteer prop, repeating what the chief bully wants him to say. Many times, stating what they are doing under the leadership of the President and do on. Just interesting to see that no medical expert has says one positive thing about this. The only thing I hear is that there is no leadership and the leadership role of the United States had evaporated.

During this pandemic, he continues to play the blame game. Everybody else is wrong, he is the only one who understands how it all works. The support for the WHO was terminated, the US Supreme Court was asked to overthrow Obama Care. He proofs repeatedly that he only cares about himself. He may think he is invincible, but he is not. His time is over after the next election. I already know how he will look after that defeat.

This is how he looked after a rally in Tulsa, believing that there would be around 20,000 supporters in the convention center and many more outside where he would give an extra speech. The outside event was cancelled because there were only 25 people. Inside there were 6,000 people and more empty than occupied seats. Of course, there were no protective measures against COVID-19 and 8 persons from his staff were infected, 2 Secret Service agents and dozens of agents needed to be quarantined.

For his protection against COVID-19 infection, he is tested multiple times per week, and every visitor needs to be checked thoroughly before they can get close to him. And, oh yes, the screening for his trips include sanitizing every toilet that he may use. I can see that security measures for a Head of State are necessary. What is also necessary is that a Head of State shows exemplary leadership, walk you walk and talk your talk. He cannot do that. Why not? Because these are not the characteristics of a hypocrite narcissist. Needless to say, that I am not a supporter of his. I want to see someone as President who is a true leader. Not someone who brags about his ability to grab a woman’s genitalia. The United States deserves better than that.

Now, because of his inability to manage a crisis, the European Union is seriously considering to banning flights from the USA because of the high infection rates in the country. This is the same what he did earlier this year. I cannot blame the EU for doing that. It means however that I will not be able to see my children and grandchildren. This is all because of an egocentric individual, who does not respect science but thinks he can bully his way through. I deserve better than that.

 

Jan M Bult, june 2020