The time in which we live now looks like a movie: we sit on our mountain all day and follow the news in 2 languages more than usual. Meanwhile, drones are circling above the beaches of Nice and Cannes and groups of people are being called home because the Coronavirus can infect everyone. Where we once thought that it was a harmless flu, we now know that this flu can strike ugly on the lungs and is also dangerous for young people. In fact, young people are the biggest spreaders, which makes sense because they have more social intercourse.
In Italy, the death reports do not seem to end. In northern Italy, the fashion industry was sold to the Chinese and there was a daily direct flight between Wuhan (the source of origin) and Milan until the end of January. It is clear that the many Chinese who work in Northern Italy have taken this virus with them. Iran has also been hit hard, but here too the Chinese from Wuhan invest billions in infrastructure, among other things. When half of Europe goes on holiday to Italy and a large part goes to carnivals afterward, everyone understands how the virus got here.
The only solution to defeating the Corona, also known as the Chinese flu, is to isolate people as much as possible and to prevent additional infection. Every sensible country now does that because it works. If you have to go to the supermarket in the South of France, you are allowed to do so, provided you bring your own printed piece of paper with the reason why you are on the street. There are long lines at the supermarket because only two people can enter at the same time who can shop for a maximum of 20 minutes.
Cars are stopped on the Promenade des Anglais and anyone who has no valid proof and excuse will be fined 135 euros. In general, the French adhere neatly to the rules; it has never been so quiet. Only in neighborhoods with Sharia law, such as in the suburbs of Paris and Marseille, is the President’s call grounded; the disease is ‘a punishment from Allah for the unbelievers’. And so now we have a curfew for those who don’t want to hear. Anyone who still walks on the street in France after 11 p.m. will go to jail.
Next week, Macron will be making another speech on TV, the previous one being strong and determined. He will undoubtedly want to extend the two-week lockdown by another two weeks because we don’t have an external virus outbreak peak and everyone can be helped in hospitals.
As sensible as the majority in France, the situation in the Netherlands is developing unwise. We look with wide eyes at the speech of the Prime Minister who increasingly isolates himself by postponing a lockdown “because it involves economic damage”. What a scary man it is. The King’s dry speech also revolves around the broth; “We are together, pay attention to each other, trust the experts of the RIVM and we can work it out.”
Unfortunately, even we, as born optimists, are in the mood. Because the markets in the Netherlands all remain open and everyone everywhere is shopping pleasantly or chatting in a park, the Coronavirus easily sticks to a passing nose or door handle. The calculation with the available capacity on the IC is made quickly; next week, a state of emergency will break out in the Netherlands. And then it is too late. Those who are smart now fill up the freezer and of course get toilet paper. People don’t understand why toilet paper is hammered instead of rice or noodles. I understand that; man has only a thin layer of civilization that quickly disappears in times of need. The last sheet of toilet paper symbolizes that thin layer of civilization. If that last sheet has been used and there is nothing left, you will be back in time 100 years.
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