There is an old Irish proverb that inspired the title of one of my all-time favourite books:
“On another man’s wound.”
I cannot recommend Ernie O’Malley’s book highly enough.
The Mayo man, like my paternal grandparents, were of the revolutionary generation and what they saw was worth remembering.
Worth telling…
It is not always easy to know when you are living through truly historic times.
Moreover, when events are unfolding it is part of the human condition to think that it will not lap up around your ankles.
In June 1349 an official in the town of Berwick noted that:
“The Scots are greatly cheered because of the pestilence”.
They did not think that the Black Death would cross the Tweed and the Solway as it was clearly the English suffering the just punishment of God for their crimes in Fair Caledonia.
Of course, we know the truth and soon so did all of Scotland before that awful year was over.
No one is seriously suggesting that Covid-19 will hit Europe like the bubonic plague did in the 14th century.
However, this is serious.
It has just been announced that Ireland has had the first death from COVID-19.
Moreover, anyone in Planet Fitba who thinks that this global pandemic will not touch our little corner is deluded.
At the time of writing the Europa League fixtures this week are now in doubt.
The evidence-based choice would be either to postpone or play them behind closed doors.
Of course, that is disappointing for the fans, but this is a matter of health and safety.
Consequently, we all have a responsibility to promote a safety-first message.
This does not seem to have got through to Mr Gerrard.
I’m fairly sure that Ernie O’Malley would have a strong opinion about this display of hubris.
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As I posted previously on another thread, Many more ( 10,000 a year ) die here in the UK due to the flu or common cold. It’s the old frail and sick that are most at risk. Healthy people are likely to suffer milder symptoms than the flu. So why the mass panic?
Rumours circulating that infected animals for the Wuhan labs were sold instead of being incinerated caused this outbreak, and I wouldn’t find that hard to believe due to the lack of resources. ( I stress this is only a rumour )
So is this more about governments controlling what the public can do? Testing how well they can control the people should something more sinister happen?
Phil,
Again I have to disagree on a similar subject as yesterday.
There is no ” evidence” that stopping mass gatherings ie football matches prevents the spread of covid -19. You are actually going against the statement of the UK Chief Medical Officer and the UK Chief Scientist mentioned two days ago.
Today this is re-iterated in a lot of press articles.
“”The UK is not banning large gatherings of people amidst the Covid-19 outbreak because officials are “following the science and the evidence”, the deputy chief medical officer said.””
Again we have to think this through with some logical thought – 2 million a day on the London Tube – a heck of a lot of football matches – a hub of world transport with worldwide connections including many Chinese visitors from one of the busiest airports in the world . But strange no huge infection rate, Closer to home the Glasgow underground has 34000 travelers daily – no mass infection rate.
Follow the evidence – banning mass gatherings does not effect the infection rate – other wise we would have already shut doen public transport
My Best Regards,
AJ G
Phil.
As an update to my comment and to show UK Government not out on decision alone. The Australian F1 Grand Prix starts tomorrow with 300000 plus attending over 3 days expected – many attending all three days.
“”Professor Brendan Murphy, the chief medical officer for the Australian government, said that holding Sunday’s race would not pose a risk to public health.””
Follow the evidence.
AJ Garrity
Someone making a statement is NOT evidence. It’s someone in a position of responsibility making a judgement based, hopefully, on known facts.
They could be wrong. They may not know ALL the facts
Unfortunately if they are wrong the damage is done.
Making a statement like “No one using the tube has caught it.” is beyond absurd. How do YOU know no one using the tube has caught it.
It has an incubation period of five days I believe and can be passed on during this period.
How do you or your “experts” KNOW that there has not been someone, possibly more than one, possibly several people, who picked up the infection on Sunday night, or Monday morning and have been passing it on to possibly HUNDREDS of people on their daily commute since. Each one an unwitting time-bomb.
Now I don’t know that this IS the case and I sincerely hope it isn’t. No more than you or the experts KNOW that it’s NOT the case.
It is a staged response and the delay stage will lead to bans on mass public gatherings. Context is key here. The advice will change once confirmed domestic transmissions occur.
I do hope no Tims turn up to ibrox on Sunday. They’ve only allowed for 7 or 800 seats to be given anyway, is it really worth the risk? I know if I had a ticket I would not be going.
Management of this outbreak of novel coronavirus, Covid-19, may indeed involve necessary restrictions on public gatherings, including – who would have guessed it? – the Sevco v Bayer match. I think most of us, particularly those not in the groups most at risk, would willingly accept some degree of control on social gatherings to prevent the spread of what remains an unknown quantity, a viral disease which seems to be spreading from human to human but which originated in animal species, probably bats and pangolins (a great name for a punk band).
It is regrettable that there has been foot-dragging (as opposed to knuckle-dragging) over such a firm response to what could yet prove a public health catastrophe, as an underfunded NHS struggles to deal with a sudden surge in critically ill patients here in the UK.
I think anyone who reads Phil’s site can easily discern the thrust of his argument; that there really is no choice between sporting entertainment and public health. When even the Dublin St Patrick’s Day parade can be cancelled because of the virus, then surely the authorities in Scotland must act now to ensure football matches are played behind closed doors until the peak of the Covid-19 crisis passes (hopefully, just before Easter).
Meanwhile, a niece in Ireland relayed a joke which seems particularly apposite: why has the coronavirus outbreak resulted in a shortage of toilet paper in many supermarkets? Because when anyone catches it, five others they know shit themselves.
Hail Hail
One of the biggest killers on our planet is poverty.
When will that be dealt with?
As the rich can’t catch it never.
Poverty is relative. Virus is endemic
A fellow Tim said to me today, wouldn’t it be some laugh if Sevco had the miracle of all miracles and somehow got right through to the final but every game played behind closed doors then the tournament final to be called off altogether. Now that would be ‘Upsetting’ 🙂
Mr Me Me just can’t se the bigger picture here it’s all about wonga or lack of it for his club . The blinkers are on and they can see no DANGERS. Money money money is needed hence Thursday’s game must take place at any cost including putting lives in danger as well as Sunday’s game . After these 2 games are out the way then we get the call offs.