What are we going to do about the COVID-2X and COVID-3X World wide Pandemics?

Hello Malcolm:-


In an earlier message you mentioned two items that I have not addressed:-


The first was wealth inequality:- One of my past job functions was to conduct physical audits of sub-contractors and my companies own manufacturing facilities located in the US, Europe and Asia.


During one of these audits in Denmark I had an opportunity to ask social questions which included their employment wage structure. I was told that there was a law that the top manager of a company could not earn more than a fixed multiplier (I believe in was 6X) of the lowest employment level. The manager explained it prevented wealth inequality in the country. I never followed up to determine if things like the private use of a company car for senior people was exempt.


On the same subject did you notice that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the meaning of the term "essential worker", however it did not appear to have impacted the  wage structure associated with these jobs.


The second was possible apprenticeship with a Senior Concern.


Based on my own experience bringing up two kids and trying to get them interested in science and engineering - it would be a complete disaster. There is a phase that I have used over the years concerning the knowledge gap between the two generations --- The young man/women know the rules the old man/women know the exceptions.


Peter Brooks MIET

Palm Bay Florida USA

We are drifting off the main Covid19 problem which is to find a vaccine and fast.

There was a news item last night that indicated that Cambridge university were experimenting with a magnetic resonance imaging scanner which could identify which cells were being invaded or restricted by any new vaccine thus accelerating the testing process without using human guinea pigs. Seems like a real improvement on the cumbersome human testing with placebo's to me.

Hello Clive:


After seeing your message I attempted to see if the UK newspapers or the UK google site have picked on this Cambridge MRI story.


So far nothing but I will keep on looking.


By the way have you ever had an MRI? -- I have, so I have to get more details to determine if this is significant breakthrough.


Regarding the possible arrival of a "valid and verified" vaccine.  Each week I listen to the US vaccine expert Dr. Fauci and he stated last week that he was expecting one to be FDA approved by Spring 2021.


However at least two of the possible candidates (one was the Oxford vaccine) is currently on hold status.


There was a nice article in the UK newspapers last night about killing sharks to get "squalene" from their livers, which is then used as an adjuvant for the vaccines.


I sent it into the IET last night but it is doubtful if  they will publish it in their daily e-mail blog. 


Peter Brooks MIET

Palm Bay Florida USA

Thanks Peter,

The result of waiting for test results to prove that a vaccine is safe is costing thousand of lives and the world economy is in tatters. Over 80's should all be offered the opportunity to be vaccinated with a experimental vaccine of their choice immediately instead of the latest flu' vaccine. Within 2 months we will be able to know from the results which vaccine works the best.  No more delays and hedging by so called experts nor play it safe politicians.

Hello Clive


As Dr Fauci (our US health vaccine expert)  has recently stated, the worse possible option would be for the public to lose faith in all vaccines by introducing a new vaccine which causes serious side effects in seniors or children.


Here in the US we already have a lot of parents who will not get their children vaccinated. The last big health problem involved drug compounding which caused people to get spinal meningitis.


The recent hold placed on the Oxford vaccine here in the US was caused two people apparently getting spinal meningitis.  


Regarding your statement about the world economy being in tatters - yes there are areas that have been hit very hard (travel, pubs, theme parks) but some industries are currently doing OK . I am still getting my pre- pandemic level of stock dividends and rockets like Space X are still being fired every week from the Cape.


Peter Brooks MIET

Palm Bay Florida USA

Hello Clive:


 I thought you might be interested in what happened yesterday in Florida, concerning the attempt by the governor of the state to fully reopen business throughout Florida (known as Stage 3).


The mayors of many major cites (such as Orlando) disagree with the latest State's directive, but don't have the legal standing to ignore the directive.


However local businesses, like the theme parks or pubs/taverns, can decide to have "tighter" rules than the state requirement, which they can impose on their customers. 


The major city mayors have decided to attack the Stage 3 rules by highlighting to the smaller businesses, that they had better look at their insurance polices to see that they can't be sued by their customer, for catching COVID-19 after visiting their operations.


As you may be aware in the US, law suits are a wonderful way of correcting political decisions. It's a pity that the UK doesn't have a similar active legal system.


Peter Brooks MIET

Palm Bay Florida USA   

Hello Clive:


All engineers at one time or other in their working lives are asked the question "What is the return of Investment?"


Taken in the context of the life and death decisions associated with COVID-19, it raises the question of how much a living person is worth or in another view, how much is it worth to save a person's life?


In the US government regulations concerning safety improvements in automobiles the defined human value was about $8 million.


Eliminating the body by cremation is relatively cheap at about $800.


However taking the problem of opening businesses with an on- going COVID-19 pandemic is a very complex situation, which has been reported in a WIRED" article - see the attached URL for details:-  

https://www.wired.com/story/how-much-is-human-life-worth-in-dollars/


Peter Brooks MIET

Palm Bay Florida USA

Exactly my point Peter.  Do not use young people as guinea pigs use over 80's to test all new drugs on a voluntary basis.

Lots of retired medical people would only be too pleased to be able to help prove a vaccine works quickly for their grandchildren's sakes.

What is the point of you living for ever if your descendants die first??

Hello Clive:


I noticed in today's Daily Mail an article relating to the cost of saving a person life in the UK - See the attached URL for details.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8795383/How-year-life-saved-Covid-19-costs-180-000.html

It would appear that a person's life in the UK is worth a lot less that in the US!


However ROI is only a part of the equation to determine who will live or die at any age.


The other part to be considered is what I call "social conscience" or a countries "moral standards".


I remember seeing the movie of the opening of the Belsen concentration camp in 1945 when I was about 8 years old. It was issued by the UK government to show why it was right for the UK to fight in  WW11 and to try and make sure that it never happened again. It made a tremendous impact on my life.


Everyone should make an attempt to give back to society during their life, both while working and during retirement by (for example) unpaid volunteering, in places like hospitals or nursing homes.  


Peter Brooks MIET

Palm Bay Florida USA