https://www.laestrella.com.pa/nacional/200312/coronavirus-paraliza-pais

OP ED: by James “JB” Bryson: With SARS and BIRD FLU essentially maintained in previous pandemics, the western world has not felt the grip of paranoia like this since 1918. Back in those early days of medicine before all of our advances, the spread of germs was rampant. Life expectancy was already low by comparable standards today where people are living much longer. That SPANISH FLU took 2 years to contain and took 50 Million people worldwide with it. That was 1918. The crazy thing is the golden rule of pandemic control- CONTAINMENT was known then the same as it is known now.

Please read this bit of information obtained from THE ATLANTIC:

When the influenza epidemic of 1918 infected a quarter of the U.S. population, killing hundreds of thousands nationally and millions across the globe, seemingly small choices made the difference between life and death.

As the disease was spreading, Wilmer Krusen, Philadelphia’s health commissioner, allowed a huge parade to take place on September 28; some 200,000 people marched. In the following days and weeks, the bodies piled up in the city’s morgues. By the end of the season, 12,000 residents had died.

In St. Louis, a public-health commissioner named Max Starkloff decided to shut the city down. Ignoring the objections of influential businessmen, he closed the city’s schools, bars, cinemas, and sporting events. Thanks to his bold and unpopular actions, the per capita fatality rate in St. Louis was half that of Philadelphia. (In total, roughly 1,700 people died from influenza in St Louis.)

In the coming days, thousands of people across the country will face the choice between becoming a Wilmer Krusen or a Max Starkloff.

The point being that short term disruption to our daily lives as a PLANET, will lead to a quicker and less casualty driven solution. This virus has no socio-economic or racial prejudices. So from a weird perspective, it galvanizes the EARTH. ALL OF US need to collectively change and alter our lives to eradicate or control this issue. Until then, every day is lost dollars for all of us. I agree with the MASSIVE halting of large crowds across the globe and give the amazing viral labs of this world a chance to test and develop a way to combat, while not dealing with daily growing infection. At GROUND ZERO in China, after they quarantined the entire region. They have seen the number of NEW transmissions drop significantly. The same needs to be everywhere for the near future.

Be safe- Saludos

JB

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The country is gradually paralyzing as the Covid-19 virus gains ground among new cases of contagion, collective panic, and prevention to avoid raising the numbers. Following the recommendations of the Ministry of Health (Minsa) to avoid crowds, the Ministry of Education (Meduca) ordered to suspend classes throughout the country and more than 10 events have been postponed or canceled, measures that will have a significant impact on the Panamanian economy.

Meduca suspended classes in private and public schools in the country, some until March 20, when the situation will be evaluated, and until April 7 in central, northern Panama and San Miguelito.

The country’s universities, after a meeting of rectors, decided to suspend face-to-face classes until April 7, the date that the government has imposed to reevaluate the situation. The university students will then receive distance, remote-controlled, or modular classes at the discretion of each university.

In the early hours of yesterday afternoon, this newspaper learned that the officials who work in the Financial Analysis Unit (UAF) were sent to their homes. The UAF, the country’s financial intelligence institution, will remain closed until the 23rd of this month, after having detected two positive cases.

The Panamanian Sports Institute also confirmed that all sports and social events at its facilities across the country will be suspended until April 7, and asked federations, associations and sports organizations not to make trips abroad.

The major baseball tournament, which started last night, was rescheduled for April 7, and the Panamanian soccer league (LPF), which had the ninth day of the opening tournament scheduled for this weekend, was canceled until new notification.

The Performing Arts Festival (FAE 2020) has postponed the ninth edition of IFF Panama without announcing a likely date that movie theaters will welcome talented artists, producers and moviegoers.

So did the National Women’s Forum, which postponed all activities involving mass meetings. Among them he listed: Workshop on electoral reforms (March 14 and 28 as well as April 4); the commemoration of International Women’s Day at the Electoral Tribunal (March 18); the inauguration of the first Women’s Compass Training School (March 21), until conditions are overcome.

The Active Club 20-30 preferred to postpone the meeting of ideas, the booklet and the medical tour that they had arranged in the coming days.

As for concerts, singer Karol G was scheduled for the 26th of the month, but the promoter company Magic Dreams adhered to Minsa’s recommendations.

In this same line, the Carreyó show was delayed, which was for March 17, and possible dates are being evaluated.

The Sailas, maximum figure of the Guna Yala region, the paradisiacal archipelago of the Isthmus, ordered to suspend all tourist activities that include the transfer of tourists to the islands and accommodation, but allowed the transfer of passengers and community members of the region, as well as goods and groceries. They called on the population to report abuses by unscrupulous merchants who tend to increase food prices.

As for the cultural part, the Biomuseo suspended the visits scheduled for this month.

The dean of Fine Arts at the University of Panama suspended the Microfest 2020 until the second order.

As for exhibitions, Eduexpo, the world’s largest educational fair to be held on March 18, was extended until further notice.

The Association of Automobile Dealers of Panama reported that the summer Auto Show 2020, which would take place from 13 to 15 this month, was suspended until further notice.

The day of Japanese culture, organized by the Embassy of Japan in Panama, suffered the same situation.