A Journal of the Plague Year

Monday 30th March – 4.40pm A scientist who has refused to take no for an answer, and a man after my own heart, is Dr Daniel Reardon. Let me just say that his noble endeavours prove pretty thoroughly that there are more ways to battle this virus than the predictable ones. Well done, Dr. Daniel. We salute you. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-52094804

Monday 30th March – 4.30pm Let us remember the name and the bravery of the Wuhan doctor who broke to the world the dangers of Coronavirus when the Chinese state wanted to suppress it. He died of the virus, but his intervention forced the hand of the Chinese authorities. Without him we might have discovered about the virus much later. Although it will still be very bad indeed, it could have been worse still but for this brave man. He bought us time, and gave us a fighting chance. With sadness today I hear from a good friend in Uzbekistan of a doctor who was not so heroic. More of a tragic idiot whose actions have worsened the spread of the virus in her country – a country of great poverty and deprivation. On 11 March a doctor flew into the capital of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, from France carrying the virus. She attended her clinic unknowingly infecting her colleagues. One of them, a 39 years old male doctor, fell ill but for some bizarre reason decided to treat himself secretly withou...

Monday 30th March I've had enough. The government has given us nothing to combat the virus with. No advice, no weapons, no training. Waiting for the politicos to act is tantamount to suicide. One may as well throw oneself down on the ground breathing deeply through the nose and mouth making access as easy as possible for any passing virus. Something has to be done. But we are being left to ourselves. Very well, then, I accept the challenge. The plan of action is simple, aggressive and, I am persuaded, highly effective. I begin by stuffing two carefully shaped shallots into my nostrils plugging them completely. Then I force as many garlics into my cheeks as possible, really making the skin stretch. It may seem primitive, but in the asbence of anything better, we have to protect ourselves, and frankly, as I observe my handiwork in the mirror, I am quietly confident. I'd like to see any virus get past that lot.

Monday 30th March – 10.30am Many leading scientistis have said that we know next to nothing about this virus. And least examined of the many aspects of its existence is its psychology. You will scoff. Psychology needs a mind you will say, and the virus doesn't have one. Already within a moment a vast contradiction becomes apparent. If we know next to nothing about this virus, how can we say it doesn't have a mind? This suggests a wide and certain knowledge. If we know enough to be certain is doesn't have a mind does this anyway relieve us of the responsibility to consider that it might? Obviously not. With this dangerous killer circling the world, can it really be sensible to never ask what motivates the virus when it gets up in the morning? After the cornflakes have been consumed what purpose in life does it seem to have? What is its plan? What drives it in its relationships? What sort of childhood did it have? How was it treated by its parents? What were the circums...