2Cents on 2 Years COVID-19 & 2 Shanghai Lock-Downs

Two years of dealing with Covid 19. Comparing an entire world dealing with it through different approaches on every end of the spectrum. Thousands of different experts and journalists comparing, commenting and most of all judging the approaches.

No one knows it better than the objective and scientific community of by popularity incentivized media. Besides maybe the online influencers and consultants on social media like Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Wechat, Douyin/TikTok, Weibo and Facebook.

From China's Wuhan to Scandinavia’s Sweden, Europe's France, Germany and The Netherlands, to the America’s and the hero hailed communities of Taiwan & New Zealand.

There is no doubt that leaders all over the globe did everything they could to react to this viral outbreak with all the correct intend. And it was painful to read and see the personal losses from people around the globe being used by media and online "like collectors" as evidence to show that somewhere else under different circumstances it was better or it was worse. Chastising the approaches of other and their own, in all ways flabbergasted by this outbreak, governments.

And now we are viewing the Omicron outbreaks in Hong Kong, Shanghai and very soon other parts of China and the world and here we go again without asking ourselves and each other questions and without listening completely and carefully.

Why are different regions responding differently?

Purpose

First, there is different purposes that the governing bodies and its leadership wants to achieve.

A good example is the term “herd-immunity” that early on was literally damned by the mainstream media as inhuman and politicians had to role back their words. While later with immunization it was the key message after the never ending “flatten the curve”. Herd-immunity and vaccination is an approach with a purpose of living with the virus and controlling the symptoms. Both medical and economically. That is a different purpose than trying to beat or control the virus. For the latter, 0-Covid and Covid Control are better matching terms. There can be many different reasons for having a different purpose and we can agree or disagree with any and all of those reasons. The key is to understand that different purpose leads to different decisions and we should not blindly judge decisions without trying to understand their purpose.

Product

Secondly, every new variant brings new and challenging circumstances and the need for different products with it that are different in every region of the world.

Like the use of masks or other mouth covering efforts. The opinion in Europe and the America’s went from useless to even a cotton mouth coverage is helpful.

Masks and the raw material are produced and widely available in Asia. Masks are not produced in Europe or the US. The average personal space in Europe and the US is larger than in most parts of Asia, especially the larger cities.

The infectiousness of Omicron appears much more severe than it's predecessors. Therefore regions with a purpose of annihilating the virus are likely to deploy more severe measure's.

People

Thirdly, the different balances, relationships, and influences between and within the different bodies of governments that make the decisions. Different people with different cultures with different believes and values, even with the same purpose, can make different decisions.?

While comparing to learn seems a logical thing to do, it has limited value as the situations, variants, and most importantly the purpose, products and people are different.

What should we be comparing then?

In stead of comparing different regions that are in different stages of different variants of a CV19 outbreak, it would be better to compare one region over time with different approaches to different variants.?

In stead of judging the actions, reactions, and results within a second or days, it would be better to review on long term the approaches to learn and prepare for a different outbreak.

This is important because the social, physical, psychological, and economical cost for individuals and a society can only be measured on the long term and it's very likely new viral outbreaks will occur within our lifetime!

While the 2020 Wuhan approach and current Shanghai approach has many questions surrounding it on the short term on impacting the livelihoods of the people, I honestly cannot answer now it’s overall contribution on a 5-, 10- or 20-year horizon.

While it has probably a positive impact in terms of immediate short term CV19 Omicron spread prevention and life saving from that, I honestly cannot answer the impact of the duress and stress placed on people as well as the hampered economics and it’s long term impact.

Disinfecting the building I live helps me to prevent getting Covid-19 Omicron to a certain extend. How much does it increase the chances of getting poisoned or causing damage to my body? Lung tissue damage or development of cancers are likely to increase from the constant use of disinfecting chemicals.

And the same goes for other regions where different approaches are applied. It will take at least 10 years and probably longer before the overall impacts are known and understood to a level where real learning can happen.

Yet, the polarization continues with either the arguments against or the support for specific actions taken to deal with CV19 Omicron outbreaks. They are bad, we are good. Sometimes making a message more simple and easier to understand, building that one pager, thirty second elevator pitch story can be more harmful than helpful.

Omicron is now estimated to be the second most infectious disease in person-to-person transmission after Measles. So, if you want to learn how to deal with Omicron and how long it will likely take to manage this version away, looking at Measles might be a better and more meaningful review. And there will be a next variant and a next variant etc.

?In 2020 I had a disagreement with Europe’s leading business consultants from the big firms (Boston Consulting, Bain, McKinsey) and was more in agreement with their Asian colleagues. The recovery would not be end 2021 / early 2022. It would be at it's earliest one year later. And currently it’s likely to go slower than that.

In the meantime, we are all doing our best to deal with the virus, it’s variants and the government requested measures.

Like many I am waiting to be able to fly to my family that I will likely not see for more than three years. Missing both my parents 70th Birthday.

Like many I am currently confined to my small but comfortable apartment in Shanghai and risk getting infected by joining the daily testing requirements.

At risk of being tested positive and at risk of then being moved to a central quarantine area.

Who will take care of my Rabbit? Will they separate my spouse and me?

You can find the actual occurring drama's online feeding the fear and feeding the psychological challenge for all those in lock-down in Shanghai.

At risks of getting a hyphema that can cause permanent eye damage if not treated immediately which under the current circumstances is unlikely to be possible.

So many unknowns with so many risks it’s easy to fear, compare and judge. And it's difficult to remain distanced and objective - what would be the situation if these measures, well or not well executed, where not in place?

There is no excuse for the heart tearing situations occurring from the gaps in the regulations, communications, execution, lack of resources and everything else that can go wrong in managing a rough 25 million people in lock down with near daily testing.

And it's good that that we show them and reflect on them and ask, push, demand, require, request and most of all support and show that it's possible to do it better. Everyday.

?There is, however, no merit for those in the situation from the comparative media and online community attention focusing purely and alone on those situations aimed at feeding their own purpose of generating attention for their own profiteering.

Let us focus on what we can do, and welcome tips and support that is pragmatic in dealing with situations as presented by reality. ?

Are your Disinfection protocols in place?

Are your Purchasing protocols in place? (don’t forget to have medication in stock incl. antibiotics).

Are your Testing execution protocols in place?

Are your Personal Financing protocols in place?

Are your Rest protocols in place?

Are your Physical and mental health protocols in place?

Are your pet caring protocols in place?

Are your child caring protocols in place?

Let us control and influence what we can, accept what we can’t and forgive ourselves and each-other what we didn’t think about and messed up in a moment of losing ourselves.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles” - Sun Ze

?This article is the personal representation of its author and is not related nor does it represent his function or employer.