Breaking news - viruses can distinguish between one barrier and the next!!
Tried and tested nonsense
At medical school, we were taught that viruses are not living beings. This is because they cannot reproduce on their own. They need to infect a cell and use its internal organelles to reproduce countless copies of their structures. The dying cell then releases the assembled virions into the airways, bloodstream, and anywhere else they can reach. It’s a bit like one of Henry Ford’s production lines.
Therefore, the use of terms such as “live” or “living” viruses betray abysmal ignorance or a desire to communicate simple but deeply misleading terms.
Viruses do not “behave” and do not “think” as they are not living beings. To put it another way, they have no central nervous system. Literature and mainstream media are replete, overflowing and stuff full of such nonsense. And it looks as if this nonsense is contagious. Yes, it’s spilled over to the actions of decision-makers in health systems, showing how far the race to the bottom has gone and how debased the public discourse and the management of health systems have become.
We read with surprise that Manx Care’s deputy chief executive, Paul Moore, has decided that the “resurgence” of SARS-CoV-2 has led authorities in the Isle of Man to issue mask mandates for those entering health care facilities.
We have no doubt that other authorities worldwide are doing the same. Readers and followers of our popular Week in Numbers will have spotted the nonsense behind the actions of the Manx authorities.
First, the measures they introduced are anything but “tried and tested,” as the death rates in nursing homes and the hospital-acquired infections tally during the pandemic showed.
Second, another golden opportunity to test these measures has passed. Instead of relying on activists' statements and the numerous false statements we have documented in the past two years (has it really gone that fast?), public health should be planning fair tests of “tried and tested” measures, alone or as a mix.
Third, what about poor old Rhinovirus? On average, it has a high and constant circulation level higher than SARS-CoV-2, so why not mask up all year round?
We do not want to put more crazy ideas in people’s heads, but folk capable of chopping off the bottom parts of doors, “closing the borders with Wales” or institute one way cycle lanes and stuffing full rest homes with untested elderly are capable of anything - they are far more inventive than two old geezers.
Fourth, Mr Moore should ask for advice from someone who has heard of William Farr (he will be featured in the Snow series soon). Farr told us that what goes up must come down, and that is precisely the yo-yo an endemic virus doe.
Fifth Manx Care’s deputy chief executive, Paul Moore, has made a breakthrough for which he should receive a Nobel prize. His powerful logic is overwhelming. SARS-CoV-2 must be repulsed by masks, whereas they are obviously not very useful against other viruses, like good old rhino, which is not worth bothering about despite a higher endemic circulation than its SARS-CoV-2 colleague.
Now, that's breathtaking news!
The BBC continues selective acritical reporting of nonsense stories. Do you want to continue paying the fee?
This post was written by two old geezers who believe in basic microbiology and do not believe viruses can pick and choose where and how they go. Only human stupidity can do that.
We must strongly protest for the discrimination against rhinoviridae and other respiratory agents - we will get Matt Hancock and Neil O’Brian to go on hunger strike to support our protest.
Gah. It's not just happening in Manx hospitals - I've hear of the Worcester Trust having instituted this as well and am sue other local NHS trust will have done so.
I wish someone would shout the lovely quote, wonderfully transmitted by David Niven, ascribed to a Hollywood director: " Don't just do something - stand there!"
Oh that all those 'Health service' directors would just stand there and not do 'something' ...
Yorkshire Live breathlessly reported the convid symptoms this morning as the "flirt" variant is on the rise. I declined to read the nonsense, I mean, it's been 4 years and I've run out of patience with these hypochondriac babies. My multi jabbed fil currently has yet another chest infection. At the height of summer. He still won't join the dots.