Observations From Just Outside the Pandemic #7 +addendum

There are different types of isolation. There is the kind that many of us are imposing upon ourselves so that we can prevent the spread of the virus; a relatively small number of people in Canada are isolated because they were told to. In both cases, most of us, I hope, are continuing to reach out to those that we know and/or love. However, at the same time, we are being ever more isolated by the lack of information from reliable media sources as to what is happening in the rest of the world.

If one looks at the easily accessible and normally reputable media sites, much of the news is about how Canada is dealing with the COVID -19 virus. There are always a few items about how other western countries are doing including at least one or two items about our neighbours to the south and a few about how the European countries are coping.  There is, however almost no news - at least on the websites, as to how other countries, particularly African countries or those parts of the Indian sub-continent are doing.

I am sure that the population density of India is equal to, if not greater than China's. There are 1.3 billion people living in India. While that country has the capacity to provide comprehensive medical services, the sheer size and density of the population would mean that a pandemic would be hard to control.  They have not been isolated from the rest of the world.  Surely how India or Pakistan is coping is something we all should know about.

Within the continent of Africa, there are some countries who, long before COVID-19, struggled to provide the most basic level of service to their citizens. The near 300 years of constant interference, manipulation and domination by European countries supporting their capitalist enterprises have robbed some of the African countries of their most valued positions including people and natural resources.  Many of those countries do not have the resources to fight a pandemic. Certainly, in comparison to the USA, they do not have the financial resources to compete on the open market for protective equipment for their medical staff. What is happening in Africa? Are the people overwhelmed by the virus? Or has it not spread as fast? I think we, in the west, need to know.

I appreciate the fact that even in a rich country like Canada there is a limit to the resources available to gather information. I also recognize that people have a finite ability to absorb information or even to be interested in learning about anything a few miles outside their front door. It becomes increasingly difficult for us to be concerned about someone halfway around the world when our well being is at risk. But it would seem to me that if Canada survives this pandemic, it will because we have accepted that we have a responsibility to not only ensure our own health, but also the health of our neighbours. 

We need to extend the definition of what a neighbour just a little bit further.

addendum : a few days later, CBC did publish a story about Africa and the Covid-19 virus. Too brief and only ones - but it was there.