Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Better safe than sorry: stand together to fight coronavirus

Better safe than sorry: stand together to fight coronavirus

Your front-page article on March 10 about the coronavirus’ spread (“Coronavirus can travel for 4.5 metres”) illustrated the challenge of understanding disease transmission.

Patterns are very important in the search for vectors (the mode or mechanism of transmission). Researchers in Hunan investigated a case of possible transmissions of Covid-19 on a public bus. But the evidence is not conclusive, so how should it be interpreted? With caution, obviously, that is strongly on the side of “prepare for the worst”.

Until we know more, it is only prudent to follow the advice of public health professionals: individuals should wear masks in public, particularly on public transport, clean hands frequently and avoid (unnecessary) social gatherings; service providers should assume surfaces are potential reservoirs of disease and clean them frequently. Sars-CoV continued to kill affected patients for two years.

We are still very early on the learning curve with Covid-19 and it is impossible to predict, at this time, the longer-term social, or indeed political, implications of the disease. What we do know is that the virus has no race, no politics and no religion. It is a product of nature and will do what it can to survive. We can aid and abet it. Or we can stand and fight.




To put it simply, divided we fall, united we win. We now have a global pandemic that demands a global response and the only body structured to deliver that is the World Health Organisation. Such an organisation is always going to be a target of criticism but now is the time to focus not on problems of the past but on solutions for the future.

Andrew Burd, Tai Po


Charge panic buyers more, and wear a mask if ill

In response to Andy Tong’s letter “Here is one way to make people wear masks”, I think it’s perhaps worth mentioning that across the world experts are still repeatedly saying: don’t wear a mask if you are not showing symptoms, coughing, sneezing and so on.

The reality is that there are a lot of us who do not like wearing masks, such that when we do wear one, we find ourselves constantly fiddling with it, adjusting it, squeezing it to make it fit, and thereby doing the worst possible thing: constantly touching the eyes and nose, so that the mask is zero help and, in fact, quite an added danger.



If I could make a counter-suggestion: all those panic buyers should perhaps face a crippling surcharge for the third or fourth purchase of whatever it is they are buying. This would make them more socially responsible, and ensure goods are still available for those who genuinely need them, instead of the individuals who are panicking wildly and thereby depriving others of goods.
If you are coughing, wear a mask. If you aren’t, don’t.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×