A letter from a prominent Doctor of Infectious Diseases and Specialist. I'm not scared of Covid-19
Andy Jenkinson
CEO CIP. Fellow Cyber Theory Institute. Director Fintech & Cyber Security Alliance (FITCA) working with Governments. NAMED AN EXPERT IN INTERNET ASSET & DNS VULNERABILITIES AND THREAT INTELLIGENCE
I've been a specialist Doctor and Consultant for more than 20 years seeing sick patients on a daily basis. I have worked in inner city hospitals and in the poorest slums of Africa. HIV-AIDS, Hepatitis,TB, SARS, Measles, Shingles, Whooping cough, Diphtheria...there is little I haven't been exposed to in my profession. And with notable exception of SARS, very little has left me feeling vulnerable, overwhelmed or downright scared.
I am not scared of Covid-19. I am concerned about the implications of a novel infectious agent that has spread the world over and continues to find new footholds in different soil. I am rightly concerned for the welfare of those who are elderly, in frail health or disenfranchised who stand to suffer mostly, and disproportionately, at the hands of this new scourge. But I am not scared of Covid-19.
What I am scared about is the loss of reason and wave of fear that has induced the masses of society into a spellbinding spiral of panic, stockpiling obscene quantities of anything that could fill a bomb shelter adequately in a post-apocalyptic world. I am scared of the N95 masks that are stolen from hospitals and urgent care clinics where they are actually needed for front line healthcare providers and instead are being donned in airports, malls, and coffee lounges, perpetuating even more fear and suspicion of others. I am scared that our hospitals will be overwhelmed with anyone who thinks they " probably don't have it but may as well get checked out no matter what because you just never know..." and those with heart failure, emphysema, pneumonia and strokes will pay the price for overfilled ER waiting rooms with only so many doctors and nurses to assess.
I am scared that travel restrictions will become so far reaching that weddings will be cancelled, graduations missed and family reunions will not materialise. And well, even that big party called the Olympic Games...that could be kyboshed too. Can you even imagine?
I'm scared those same epidemic fears will limit trade, harm partnerships in multiple sectors, business and otherwise and ultimately culminate in a global recession.
But mostly, I'm scared about what message we are telling our kids when faced with a threat. Instead of reason, rationality, open mindedness and altruism, we are telling them to panic, be fearful, suspicious, reactionary and self-interested.
Covid-19 is nowhere near over. It will be coming to a city, a hospital, a friend, even a family member near you at some point. Expect it. Stop waiting to be surprised further. The fact is the virus itself will not likely do much harm when it arrives. But our own behaviours and "fight for yourself above all else" attitude could prove disastrous.
I implore you all. Temper fear with reason, panic with patience and uncertainty with education. We have an opportunity to learn a great deal about health hygiene and limiting the spread of innumerable transmissible diseases in our society. Let's meet this challenge together in the best spirit of compassion for others, patience, and above all, an unfailing effort to seek truth, facts and knowledge as opposed to conjecture, speculation and catastrophic outcomes.
Facts not fear. Clean hands. Open hearts.Our children will thank us for it.
Director of Upper School at St. John's Kilmarnock
3 年One and a half years later...do you still think there is nothing to fear?
CFO Technology Provider with Multinational Operation
4 年A MUST read for all!
Cyber defense is simple, but not easy, hard, but not impossible.
4 年Andy, are YOU this doctor mentioned or is it someone else. Confused.
Chief Commercial Officer at Supermoney Ltd, Chief Executive Officer at Toucan Labs Ltd, Co-Founder at Blue Green World
4 年????????
Management Consultant | Health & Safety Specialist l Writer
4 年While I commend the writer for his good works and support his call for nations and people to apply sensible concerted strategies towards halting the spread of the Covid-19 virus, I wish to point out that care should be applied when making statements with phrases such as “… the poorest slums of Africa.” The phrase reveals an absence of “regional sensitivity” in the writer’s line of thought and public communication. Leaders like him should be mindful of the wider implications of their statements taken in and out of context. The unfortunate and sad truth is that slums exist everywhere in the world in the midst of great wealth, abundance and wastes. The realities of the Covid-19 world epidemic demonstrate how vulnerable all of humanity is to contagious disease outbreaks irrespective of color, creed, nationality, economic status and so forth. It is also worth mentioning that previous episodes of Coronaviruses such as MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome – originated from Asia), and the current Covid-19 did not originate from Africa.