A couple of days ago, I read a report which claimed that the Covid virus can survive up to 109 hours outside a host. That’s on all manner of surfaces, including plastic. On the other hand, a couple of weeks ago, I read a report that claimed that the Covid virus will last about five minutes outside a host on any surface not alive.
The latter report stated that the usual testing method is flawed and the five minute one is correct. I’m sure the 109 hour test claims something similar.
The point is, is it any wonder people are confused. I understand that they are frightened; being told you’ll die if you don’t disinfect your apples is a big incentive for the easily scared. But who to believe?
And talking of WHO, I discovered on the weekend that the Director-general of the World Health Organisation is Ethiopian. Ethiopia is pretty much owned by the Chinese. Does that make Dr Ghebreyesus impartial? Who do we, normal, ordinary people trust?
While I don’t look for conspiracies everywhere, I do think it’s a good idea to find out who is funding things. As an example, this Guardian article from last December shows how insidious funding can be. After all, if you were a researcher at a leading university and your findings went against the funding organisation for your university, would you report it honestly? Or would your university want you to change a few choice words?
So, I wonder. If China suggested to the good doctor that if he said a certain thing about a certain virus, that they would stop funding the Ethiopian infrastructure they built, would he do the right thing or their right thing?
It’s just me wondering.
And for anyone wondering how dinner went tonight after yesterday, it was much better following the disaster, even though both veggie dishes were new. And I had to substitute ingredients.
Okay, it’s a crap photo, but the food was delicious. On the right is mashed butternut squash with garlic, tahini and pine nuts. On the left is stir fried cavolo Nero with chestnut mushrooms and almonds.
In sadder news, Barry Cryer died on Tuesday. Here’s his obituary from the BBC. What an incredibly funny man. There were lots of jokes flying around Twitter today. This was one of my favourites:
“A skeleton walks into a bar and orders a pint and a mop.”
