Trust the system?

© Jen Sorensen

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It’s hard to understand a man like Alex Berenson who lies consistently about a pandemic and, on his way, sews distrust in a system already faltering under loads of misinformation. Yet here he is, “The Pandemic’s Wrongest Man. In a crowded field of wrongness, he stands out.” 

News blues…

As SA records 1,294 new Covid-19 infections and 51 fatalities in the past 24 hours, a vaccination program appears to be in the works for Africa.

Africa has secured 400 million doses of J&J Covid-19 vaccines — enough to vaccinate more than half its target of 750m people — as it edges towards the third wave of infections, said Africa CDC director, Dr John Nkengasong, at his weekly coronavirus update on Thursday. 
More than 4.2 million cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Africa and more than 1,120,000 deaths, accounting for 4% of deaths reported globally. Africa has reported 3% of the world’s Covid-19 cases.

South Africans are one step closer to vaccinations, too. I even know someone who will be vaccinated next Thursday. She’s a health care work not in direct contact with Covid patients – that is, not in a hospital setting – but in a health care setting. Things are looking up!

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America is entering its fourth coronavirus surge. And this time, it appears to be driven by an even deadlier variant of the virus. Luckily, the country is prepared, having already vaccinated tens of millions of people. “If we act quickly, this surge could be merely a blip for the United State….”
Those who haven’t yet gotten their first dose remain particularly at risk… and, unfortunately, many of the regions seeing outbreaks are home to major vaccine-distribution inequities. … two strategies the country can use to snuff out the current rise in cases:

Read “The Fourth Surge Is Upon Us. This Time, It’s Different.A deadlier and more transmissible variant has taken root, but now we have the tools to stop it if we want.” 

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• Tracking Covid-19 vaccinations worldwide 
• South African experts to follow for up-to-date and accurate Covid information… 

Healthy planet, anyone?

Dr Shanna Swan, professor of environmental medicine and public health at Mount Sinai school of medicine in New York City, studies fertility trends. In 2017 she documented how average sperm counts among western men have more than halved in the past 40 years. Count Down is her new book.
Dr Swan was interviewed recently:

You’ve spent more than 20 years examining the effects of hormone disrupting chemicals on reproductive health. Are you now sounding the alarm? 

SS: I am directly speaking to this hidden problem people don’t like to talk about, which is their sub-fertility or reproductive problems, and how that is tied to the environment. People are recognising we have a reproductive health crisis, but they say it’s because of delayed childbearing, choice or lifestyle – it can’t be chemical. I want people to recognise it can. I am not saying other factors aren’t involved. But I am saying chemicals play a major causal role. It is difficult to use that word, “cause”, but it’s a body of evidence. We have mechanisms, animal studies, and multiple human studies.

Read the interview >> 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

A surge, that’s what I’m experiencing: a surge in desire to return to California, a surge to make a deal “finished and klaar” on my mother’s house, a surge of responsibility for my own life’s version of “death and taxes.” With an eye toward returning to California with my daughter – she arrives next week – I’m working even harder to accomplish necessary tasks: sell household items, give away what can’t be sold, and dump the rest. But as I’ve repeatedly learned over the past year: what can do wrong, will go wrong.

• The gardener’s illness, incompletely diagnosed as this, that, or the other thing, ranging from candida to HIV, worked Monday and reported he was “coming right.” Alas, on his way home after work, he semi-collapsed. Next morning, an ambulance was called to his home after he suffered severe vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, and physical incapacity. He was rushed to a local hospital then taken to a second, more efficient, hospital. Later that day, his wife reported “his brain was bad.” Diagnosis? Meningitis. He was returned to the first hospital...where he remains.
  I suspect meningitis may be an opportunistic infection after he suffered 5 to 6 weeks of debilitating – and misdiagnosed – illness. Meanwhile, I must find a temporary, affordable gardening service to keep weeds at bay. 
• The lower lawn is strewn with miscellaneous “stuff” – from many meters of mixed electrical and fencing wire, planks, poles, assorted tools, window frames…. I continue sorting this miscellany into piles to auction, give away (how? To whom?) and dump (how?). The latest problem – besides having no help to accomplish any of this? The “bakkie”/pick-up truck has a petrol/”gas” leak and should be driven only by someone with a surge of interest in a gruesome death. And that ain’t me. 
• The past year has taught “pool gal” much about maintaining a pool and filter on a shoestring yet… another challenge. Efficient filtering of water requires sufficiency of water. The pool currently has an insufficiency of water. Water is expensive. Nevertheless, I must add more. Accordingly, I located and laid out the household’s elderly hosepipe. Alas, its length is just short of reaching the pool. Moreover, it is absent the pipe fitting required to attach pipe to faucet. Was it one on many similar fittings added to the big bag of sprinkler and plumbing fittings sent last week to the auction? It's Easter weekend: local hardware stores shuttered until next Tuesday. 
• The local print weekly reports fire damage to a small school and that building materials are needed. This household has building materials available. But how to bring together need and availability? The bakkie/pick up has a petrol leak. I’ll phone next week and, if the school is not closed for Good Friday … or due to Covid … I’ll suggest they find someone to fetch the materials.

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My mother continues to improve… and trying to climb out of her Laziboy and walk. I guess Easter, with its history of miracles, is thetime to try for another miracle. Meantime, I’m encouraging more practical efforts: stretching arms and legs, drinking fluids, and practicing writing with a pen.

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South African days getting shorter while nightfall happens earlier:
Feb 26: sunrise 5:47am; sunset 6:33pm.
March 2: sunrise 5:50am; sunset 6:29pm.
March 9: sunrise 5:55am; sunset 6:21pm.
March 18: sunrise 5:00am; sunset 6:11pm.
March 27: sunrise 6:0xam; sunset 6:0xpm.
April 1: sunrise 6:09am; sunset 5:54pm.
April 2: sunrise 6:09am; sunset 5:53pm.