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As I write this, I am looking at a figure of 33,509 deaths from Covid 19 so far... Worldwide... In a population of roughly something like around 6,000,000,000 people? So, again, very roughly, about one out of every 180,000 people on this planet? So far...?   Obviously that figure will be a whole lot higher by the end of the year. So... What's it going to do... Bring the normal average annual death rate of 60 million from various causes up to 60.1 million worldwide? Or maybe even 61 million worldwide??   I'm really sad about all of the people who have - and will die from Covid 19 - even me, if I happen to be one of the unlucky ones... Just as I am also very sad about the roughly 15 million people who will have already died so far this year from other causes: A plethora of other diseases and illnesses, starvation, murder, accidents, wars and well, believe it or not - natural causes, even? (60 million on average, per year, divided by the first three months of the year... I'm hopeless with maths but even I can work that one out.) And it's "maths," by the way - with an "s" - if you please!     Yes, SARS-CoV-2 (the so-called new coronavirus) is extremely contagious at the moment, because it is a new causative agent for disease in humans - (although not, obviously, in the bats or whatever other animal host it may have come from...) But I honestly don't believe that it is significantly more "deadly" than any of the other virus that causes flu-like symptoms - which, strangely enough, also happen to hit the elderly unfairly hard...   A sensible amount of social distancing, massive (albeit somewhat belated) investment in our health services, taking care of our immune systems - and TRYING not to cause too much unnecessary extra stress by totally destroying our economies in the meantime might be a big help in fighting the disease caused by this virus, I think...??     One final note... I am a miserable old so-and-so and I genuinely prefer writing, to actually having to talk to people... So you can bring on all the social distancing you like, as far as I am concerned!  

And for all of my dear Filipino and Filipina artist and photographer friends...   We don't usually hold an "exhibit..." We hold an "exhibition," OK? An exhibit is usually just one of many individual items, which may or may not be exhibited in an exhibition of several, or indeed, many other items.    Kasi...!!!        

To all my very dear American friends:   "Maths" is short for "mathematics," whereas... "math" is short for "mathematic." (sic.)   So, could we please put the "s" in the abbreviation for "mathematics?"   It's MATHS - not "math" - OK?!!      Thank you!!    

This makes lemmings seem sensible!! From the same article quoted in the post above: https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/17/a-fiasco-in-the-making-as-the-coronavirus-pandemic-takes-hold-we-are-making-decisions-without-reliable-data/          

From: https://www.statnews.com/2020/03/17/a-fiasco-in-the-making-as-the-coronavirus-pandemic-takes-hold-we-are-making-decisions-without-reliable-data/ By John P.A. Ioannidis March 17, 2020 (My emphasis:)   So the jury is still out... Things may not be quite as bad as we first thought... But then again, they might be... (In other words, if a lot more people have already been exposed to the lurgy than the official numbers have been showing - well that makes the death rate as an actual percentage of those who have been infected a lot lower than what we have been seeing so far...) Anyway, for the mean time, just follow the rules, keep your immune systems in peak condition at all times - and stay safe!! Also, just remember that stress has a terrible effect on our immune systems... OK, it's hard to avoid stress when you are worried sick about money, relatives, loved ones. You can't just make it go away... But one thing that will help to take your mind of it for a short while - and it will also help you to sleep better - is getting plenty of exercise. You don't need any fancy exercise machines... Running on the spot, push-ups, sit-ups - and if you are starting to get a little bit old, like me: just flapping your arms about will all help!! You can also cheat with the push-ups by using the edge of the kitchen sink so you don't have to bust your flabby guts!!!