Being in love wearing a paper face mask. (Corona) Flu madness and panic.

Last weekend, with my girlfriend, I was in Bangkok. I don’t follow the news but I noticed that almost everyone was wearing a mask. Finally they start to understand how to protect a bit against the raising air pollution I thought.

Well, that was a wrong idea. It seems that although air pollution increases with the year here, most people are no longer bothering about protecting against it. It’s all about earning money and what about your health?

No, it seemed there was a "Corona" virus outbreak in Wuhan in China and the virus was spreading. Where…? I had never heard of that place. Still a place where around 11 million people live close to each other. I blamed myself that I should have paid more attention to geography lessons in the past.

People were a bit in panic because in Thailand at that time some persons had already become sick and I was told that they kept them in quarantine.

In the subway, more than crowded, I was nearly the only one without a mask. A couple in love protected themselves against kissing and many people were afraid to stand close to Chinese persons. As if 1.4 billion people were sick.

My girlfriend told me that many people avoid shopping centers where many Chinese people are to keep the risk of getting infected by the virus as low as possible. The next day we went to Chinatown. Crowded most with Chinese people and us (not wearing a mask).

Do people still think or just only follow the crowd? Close borders? Avoid the Chinese? Wear a paper mouth cap against this virus? Who brings all those scary stories that make people mad and in panic in the world?

A wonderful thing I saw was a man who lowered his cap to smoke a cigarette. Really something to laugh.

Good times for the industry that produces these masks. They had just finished their work for producing the new air filters for the so-called 'air purifiers'. Now this masks cannot be dragged on. There is certainly a bonus at the end of the year for all the workers.

Memories of my previous work came back. And when I experience this again, the overkill in "safety" and the attempt to control everything is plans and on paper comes back in my mind again.

Not much was known about that Corona virus. Sure is it’s a so far unknown form of flu. So, a new flu virus. And with a paper mouth cap, unfortunately, you won't stop a virus infection. If you have to cough or sneeze and you wear such a mask, you protect your neighbor a little bit. And what about eye protection? Are your eyes not a mucous membrane that could pick up this virus? Walking around with a diving mask might be better.

It is estimated that 56,000 people die every year due to flu (source Wikipedia). And you don't hear me say that's okay. But, apparently just like with the air pollution here, we hardly worry about it. Now about 200 deaths from this new species in just a few weeks. Yes, still bad and sad. You do not want it will be your child, husband, wife or family member and yet ... does it bring any change in this total amount of those 56,000 people we nearly do not bother about?

The website Worldometers.info/coronavirus mentions different numbers. They say every year an estimated 290,000 to 650,000 people die in the world due to complications from seasonal influenza (flu) viruses. This figure corresponds to 795 to 1,781 deaths per day due to the seasonal flu. So what are we talking about?

And it's nice to read and hear on the Dutch news I was watching, that up to now there are no Dutch people involved ... What a crazy comment I hear so many times. Is it less painful or worse???

Just live in a normal way and as always take care of normal hygiene. And continue to enjoy that delicious Chinese food in restaurants, Chinatown and these beautiful people. Don't keep them outside the door. And don't forget to enjoy kissing without a mask when you are in love. 

And, wonderful social media but think first and do not believe all stories. Myths and facts (if it's true: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze-33EMoaFY

And for the people in Thailand, a mouth cap against air pollution is doing much better work than against this flu virus. So, keep wearing and even better ... stop burning. Good for yourself, your children and their children who still want to enjoy this wonderful world.

Gangey Gruma (Frans Captijn)
email: captijninsight@gmail.com 

Foto blog: http://franscaptijnhisworld.blogspot.com

Captijn Insight. Catalyst in developing tranquility & in-sight to get in a sustainable way real connection, purpose, pleasure and flow in life, love, family, business, career and work again.