Friday, 27 March 2020

Pre-Emptive Strike Against Vaccination for Covid-19?

It is disturbing to read that, before a vaccine for Covid-19 has even been developed (and this would be the only relatively safe way of giving a population 'herd immunity' to the virus), the 180k US and UK followers of the Stop Mandatory Vaccination Facebook group (and others) have been pushing weird claims and quack 'cures' (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/27/report-coronavirus-quack-cures-immediately-says-uk-government). Some have, for example, it is said, claimed that the virus was developed by the Chinese to damage the US Economy and that China's 5G networks can be used to turn off the oxygen supply to people in intensive care. Amongst the stranger cures they advocate are the drinking of lemon juice, 'liquid silver', hot water and elderberry soup. They also reportedly suggest protecting children by placing sliced onions on the soles of their feet and/or rubbing their backs with lemon and lavender oil (to move the virus away from the head?). This is yet another obstacle (no, it's not April yet) that needs to be overcome before we have any chance of dealing with this pandemic. What the internet gives on one hand, it takes away on the other!

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Birder's Bonus 241

Noted a Curlew ( Numenius arquata ) on the Loughor estuary at Bynea.