PostScript A different Spring with Corona Virus

"Throw me to the wolves and I shall return leading the pack." Seneca
Africa has faced Corona  pandemics with  medical services  not available to everyone at the same time. The power of communities helped to overcome many obstacles. The figure of those infected and known deaths is still low, but will surely rise once more tests are carried out. Very sad is the situation of those refugees who often risked their life to get to Europe hoping for a better life. Instead they frequently ended up in overcrowded primitive camps, close together in difficult hygienic conditions. Many are terrified in view of the Corona pandemic. Urgent action is required before the situation becomes really horrible. Unthinkable if the virus is spread to such places, the same applies to other poor quarters anywhere in the world. Someone from Germany suggested to put old folks in a home as a protective measure. I don't think Trump would like that as it would probably mean people of his age. He always wanted America First, this now happened, more than 100.000 infected, more than anywhere else in the world. The virus doesn't differentiate between rich and poor, black and white. Time to pray for wise men to find solutions and act unselfishly. A lady throwing me kisses, cats purring when they see me, those moments make me happy and help to think positive during this difficult time. In a video I saw a robot car patrolling streets in Tunis, remote controller speaking via an installed loudspeaker to folks stopped on the street and checking on their need to leave the house. Modern times are here, but different from what one would have imagined not so long ago! In a factory, rural area south of the capital, 150 volunteers (110 women, 40 men) including one doctor, one pharmacist, cooks, are working for one months in self isolation in order to produce facemasks (50.000 per day) and other protective gear. They want to enable doctors and medical staff to continue working without endangering themselves. Great people, citizens that Tunisia can be proud of. Hopefully they will all stay healthy, heroes that deserve our highest respect, also their families that accepted them being away for a whole month. We should not only appreciate their sacrifice but also reward them, they deserve it.

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A different Spring with Corona virus Threats

A wise man is contend with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not. Seneca

Lucky are those countries with wise men in government during this difficult time, I think this can be said about Tunisia. Since Saturday, 21st of March, 2020, curfew has been ordered for the whole of the country, as a rule only one person should go outside to buy food or medicine, see a doctor if necessary. Taxis may only transport one passenger. To start of with minibuses were allowed to take three persons (usually 8), this was ignored, in a way understandable as the fare is very low, it has now been stopped altogether. A truck heading for Sousse, was carrying 30 people wanting to work there. Police charged the passengers 60 Dinar (20 Euro) each and arrested the driver. The other day I saw an approx. 8 year old boy driving a motorbike. I know him by site, several weeks ago I viewed the same and spoke with his father who declared that's okay, his son would not drive a long distance, just along a few roads in the neighborhood. I told him I am surprised this should be allowed and what if he has an accident? That didn't seem to worry him. With more police controlling the streets hopefully they will put a stop to such irresponsible behavior. Some folks still have a problem with keeping a one, or better two meter distance, poor eye for distance, I guess. For dictators it is easier to manipulate ignorant uneducated people, they are not interested in teaching them to use their brain. After the revolution I discovered quite a few times "F... Police" written on walls. There was a time when youngsters would just laugh if you threatened them you would call the police. This has changed. The president sounded quite annoyed with folks ignoring the curfew. Can't be easy to govern a people who after the revolution had to a great part, mainly the younger generation, decided not to respect anyone, not to take any orders. Those who won't listen have to be forced, a language they will understand. Thank heavens our president is determined to protect this nation. No traffic apart from occasionally a taxi, no airplanes, gives nature a chance to recover from pollution. I only hope the poor, pets and various businesses won't suffer too much. Time to show solidarity and not an ugly selfish face. There is so much we don't really need. I am happy as long as I can still support my little four legged treasures. Many shops are closed, no more chairs on pavements, cafes are closed, so are restaurants, hairdressers, stationery's, all those men now at home and so are all those constantly yelling and running kids. No more non ending football games in front of my door, I enjoy the silence, something I often dreamt of, but of course I neither wished nor imagined it to happen this way. Can't be easy for the poor, being forced to share perhaps only one room, in particular if this includes neglected kids accustomed to roam the streets. I guess some will rediscover their family.

Spring Time 2020

All cruelty springs from weakness.  Seneca
A sense of fairness results from comparison, those who are treated badly want to do the same. Learning from experience, humans and animals do this. Before they can even speak babies are  always watching, trying to understand, 12months olds are capable to understand what people feel. They register emotions, at an age of three they are helpful, act according to sympathy as psychology tests showed. One of the most stupid sentences I heard here is :"They are only children". This serves to do nothing, not to take the trouble to explain to kids where the bounders are that they must not overstep. Who needs positive role models? Quite a few cats have kittens in spring (usually 4), some  of those lovely little angels suddenly appear at my "cats' table" and rapidly disappear again, occasionally because they found a more or less permanent home, were unfortunate to get run over by a car or - this really makes me feel sick - were murdered by disturbed, if not to say brainless, kids, youngsters or adults. This just isn't normal. How can anyone kill those cute innocent cat babies? Three days ago 3 approx. 6 weeks old gorgeous little fur angels didn't turn up for breakfast (turkey salami). They used to still drink their mother's milk. The cat had found a good shelter for them but this couldn't protect them against evil minded children. A bit of sunbathing on the pavement in front of a safe cat friendly house, their only "crime". When cats see me they come running to me, when they see these kids here they run away, I never viewed such behavior elsewhere. It really depresses me, I pray for Tunisia introducing laws that protect animals, urgently required. It would not only help to stop the abuse but hopefully also help to create a better society. Experiences show that many of those with a criminal career started off abusing or killing defenceless animals. A positive development, Tunisia employs "green police" now, they are tasked with environmental protection. In Tunis you can be charged a 60 Dinar fine for dropping your rubbish where it doesn't belong. I have also seen their van in Sousse, great. Many rubbish bins have been fitted on two streets (or more that I don't know of), two days later approx. 12 of these disappeared again for whatever reasons. In view of the Corona virus some measures have been taken in Tunis to protect the citizens, several additional toilets with washbasins are now available and various areas at bus and train stations etc. are getting disinfected.

Post Script Corona virus, cats and dogs

Corona virus, Cats and Dogs

There are more things that frighten us than injure us, and we suffer more in imagination than in reality.  Seneca

Almost all countries are effected by the Corona virus, some more and others to a less extend. A well informed public rather than fake news and misinformation creating panic, is what we need. Scientist have traced the virus back to a particular bat in China, existing already a long time without making the bat sick. When this kind of bat was brought to the market to be sold as "bush meat" together with monkeys, the Corona spread from the bats to the monkeys, changed,  and finally infected those folks who ate the monkeys. They all died after unknowingly passing this new virus onto other folks. That is how it all started. A tourist from China stayed in a big hotel in Hong -Kong, he came in contact with 15 other tourists from various countries and when they returned it led the Corona virus also arriving there. Now the Corona virus is transmitted from those infected, from human being to human being, no cat or dog involved.  Avoid large groups, turn away from coughing and sneezing persons is advised, a face mask is not always necessary, nor are gloves as a general protection, but frequent hand washing is. The latest advice, bad news for all who like to push in front, the Corona virus being contagious, try to keep one meter distance to other persons.  In spite of that it appears for unknown reasons that a person from the Tunisian administration believes killing stray dogs and cats solves the problem of possible spreading the Corona virus in Tunisia. For all I know cats and dogs don't do much travelling, in particular by airplanes or cruise ships, are they really to blame? I haven't heard of a single case of Corona virus in a cat or dog nor of any other country taking such measures. My first thought when I received this shocking information was: does Donald Trump now work as adviser for the Tunisian administration sector? Thinking of all these gorgeous absolute adorable little treasures being senselessly murdered makes me sick. I swear it won't even prevent one single Corona virus case! I hope and pray that it can be stopped, money, energy and time be spend on actions that really help to contain the spreading of this new disease. By the way, in the Middle Ages a mass killing of cats, together with so-called witches, took place in Europe and caused the spreading of the plague due to the lack of cats that would chase and kill mice and rats on which the flea lived that transmitted the plague. Thanks to our fur angels there aren't many mice and rats around here. Some of our stray cats and dogs used to have a home, they are well behaved, it is obvious. They were put out on the street because of laziness, perhaps people no longer being able or willing to provide for them. As for me I would share my last piece of bread with my little darlings and would not want to live without them!!!