Contemplating three months self-isolation at home due to the fact that I have both diabetes and asthma (and hence am at high probability of getting a deadly case of Coronavirus) is rather unnerving to say the least. If nothing else I realised that if I can actually get it together there are many things that I have needed to do, that may actually get done. But the realisation that, contrary to your fantasies, you do not have the level of control over your life that you thought you did is beyond disconcerting – it is rather a shock to realise how much you really depend on others. Let’s be real, we rarely function as individuals; we work together in every aspect of our lives. The realisation how important to your life (and how you view yourself in the context of society) your regular activities are and that we actually normally work as a collective rather than individuals will come as a shock to many.
But one thing that I have noticed is that irrespective of how much our societies stress individualism; when push comes to shove, we are there for each other. It has been amazing to watch the spread of mutual aid groups at all levels. What began in one large area has broken down into street by street support. In many cases, the initial areas were too large to sustain even with large numbers of volunteers; often health and safety regulations have hampered production of meals for a large area. But what was discovered soon is that your neighbours may need help; usually we pass each other on the street, we say hello, we may stop to chat. Now, some neighbourhood watch groups have become Covid19 support groups; those able to leave their houses, to shop, to pick up prescriptions (this is often problematic as pharmacies worry about the medicines getting to those that they are for and some medicines are controlled substances that cannot be given to others to take; however, many pharmacies are delivering to those in self-isolation and quarantine), to walk dogs, to cook for others and just to check in on people.
Importantly, the fear (and often shame) of being dependent so often pushed on us by the societies in which we live can be overcome when the issue is one of mutual support; a horizontal version of support which does not create hierarchies between people. While some are healthy now, they may not be in the future. The majority of those that are ill hopefully will come through this situation and can then help others. There is no difference in this situation where we recognise what has been obvious for so long; the poor are not at fault for their poverty, the disabled are not faking it, those that need incomes are not sucking off the teat of everyone else.
The realities behind the political and economic system which creates and maintains inequalities and derides those that are “not useful” in the context of the system as non-contributors to the general whole are becoming clearer. Even those governments that have introduced austerity for the past decades (or have had austerity forced on them like Greece) are shifting towards assistance for those that have lost their jobs, those that are sick, and to provide income in order for people to purchase food and supplies, water, electricity, energy and heating are being provided for free in some countries. Even Britain has suspended mortgage payments; pressure on them to cancel rents is ongoing – evictions have been suspended for the next 3 months.
The onerous system of Universal Credit where people have to wait for 6 weeks to get benefits hopefully will be fast-tracked and those that are unable to work in this period but have jobs will be getting 80% of their income. However, we are still waiting for some assistance for those that are self-employed and on temporary and zero hours contracts. Given that the government created and allowed these types of employments; one hopes that pressure from these workers, their trade unions (woefully few) and from opposition parties will bring some assistance for these workers. Worries still exist for those disabled people whose social care includes personal assistants as there has been no guidance for the situation if their care-workers and personal assistants themselves become ill with the coronavirus.
In many senses, what we are seeing is the adoption of policies that have been advocated by the Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn for which he was called a dangerous “Marxist.” Any non-sociopathic politician (and this is why we cannot expect much from Trump and the Repugs at this point – really why the hell are they opposed to introducing sick pay is beyond my understanding) has introduced measures to ensure that people have income (either as benefits like welfare or by covering parts of people’s income – 80% in Britain – so that they can buy food and supplies without going in to debt using their credit cards or going to payday loans on ridiculous interests rates), the closure of schools, bars and restaurants to keep the spread of the virus down, made evictions illegal, suspended mortgage payments and have tried to stimulate the economy by guaranteeing loans and in some cases grants to keep businesses going.
But one thing that I am hoping is that finally people will understand which actually are the important jobs; doctors and nurses, carers, teachers, food preparation and distribution, supermarket workers … all those jobs (excepting doctors, people always appreciate them) that people think are not important. I, at times, feel like hell has frozen over; I never thought I would see the day that the Torygraph (also known as The Telegraph) would run an article calling for Boris to become a socialist and to nationalise the whole economy if necessary. Note these are the same people that called Corbyn “a dangerous Marxist.” Imagine that we are in a situation where the government is being urged “to borrow” ideas from Jeremy Corbyn by those that derided him and Labour’s economic policies! I am certainly less surprised by James Galbraith’s call to mobilise the economy as a whole to fight this pandemic; what is surprising is that this is being taken seriously by even right-wing politicians in Europe – getting American politicians on board is essential if the coronavirus will be fought and we can then come out with a better and stronger economic basis for the future. We cannot continue in the way things have been going; even more we need to shift towards more environmentally sustainable methods of in our economies. An excellent article by Doug Henwood about refocusing and rebuilding the American economy towards a less inequitable and sustainable economy has some great suggestions:
- Unlike earlier crises from the last few decades, this one is not centered in the financial sector. It’s in what Wall Street likes to call the “real sector,” the world of production and labor most people live in. While finance will suffer serious losses in a sharp downturn, the goal of policy should be to prevent catastrophic failure. It will be unable to provide even the modest stimulus quantitative easing did during and just after the 2008 crisis. A real sector crisis requires a much more fiscally centered approach.
- The federal government must provide people with income support as they lose their jobs. It’s distressing that Republicans like Trump and Romney are talking about sending every American a check for $1,000 while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shot down a similar suggestion from former Obama economic adviser Jason Furman days earlier. This is a bare minimum. Why not $2,000? Unemployment insurance must be expanded (and by a lot), as must Medicaid, to take care of people who are about to lose their employer-provided health insurance.
- We also need to invest in the physical and social infrastructure of this country. For decades, civilian public investment net of depreciation has hovered just above zero, meaning that we’re doing little better than replacing things as they decay. This economic statistic can easily be confirmed just by walking around anywhere in the US outside our richest neighborhoods. We need massive investment in public infrastructure on the model of the New Deal, both to fight the slump and to make this country habitable for the bottom 80 to 90 percent of the population. That infrastructure investment must not simply be more of the same. It needs to be part of a conversion of an economy based on exploitation of workers and nature into something humane and sustainable.
What we can do at the local level is building community networks, making sure that the elderly, disabled and sick are not left abandoned to this illness is essential solidarity in this time of a pandemic; we need to organise and fight to ensure that things do not go back to “the normal” once this crisis is over.
The years of hate preached by governments against those on benefits and the disabled are being abandoned in support of social solidarity. That these networks have arisen so rapidly has destroyed one of the biggest lies of right-wing governments since Margaret Thatcher, society does exists and we, the people, are all a part of a collective whole. Even more, we will stand together in the face of a threat. All the years of divide and rule, the preaching of us versus them, the insistence that people are islands rather than being part of a collective whole are being rapidly jettisoned in favour of helping others. The fears of those forced into social isolation and quarantine that they would be on their own with no help are found to be mostly unfounded. Many people want to help others; the mutual aid and Covid aid support groups not only help those that are isolated or in quarantine. They help those that are well but are feeling helpless; they provide a place for social solidarity that everyone needs in this time. This social solidarity can shift how people view each other; they are no longer competitors, instead we are a collective. This can hopefully survive the coronavirus and become the basis for a new outlook among people in our societies; we are all part of a whole and we cannot let the divisions sown by politicians and right-wing political activists to divide us in the future.
Of course, this is not always the case. Yes, there are some people that are predators on others trying to take money from those desperate for assistance. There are also those that seek to profit by hoarding large amounts of hand sanitiser for example; but these people were named and shamed appropriately.
Yesterday, at the British government’s daily press conference session, the problem of people buying too much food and supplies at supermarkets and denying it to others that may need it was raised. They are worried that the elderly will not be able to get food so several supermarkets have set up a time in the early morning for elderly shoppers (the problem with this effort is that these are the exact people that need to be self-isolating and not in a supermarket). Health care workers that have spent their days and nights to try to help people and save lives go to supermarkets to find bare shelves. A call-out went out from the local hospital (Whipps Cross) for people to bring food and supplies to the main entrance for health-care workers; the response was impressive.
There is still panicked buying at British supermarkets despite assurances that there is sufficient food and supplies available. This is fear; those trying to book on various supermarket delivery sites find them full for over a month; many people are self-isolating and quarantined if they have the virus. The politician tried to shame people saying that they were greedy; they are not greedy – there is no intent to sell these goods for a profit. Instead, they are frightened; people need reassurance not insults. Politicians that are so used to generating division need to shift their usage of words; we need to be a collective, we need to be comfortable depending on each other. That requires a change in how we motivate people; how we reassure them that they are not alone, that we need to stand together.
Social Distancing, Self-isolation and Quarantine
Hopefully, it is clear that people need to practise social distancing; don’t go out for dinner, don’t meet a group of people for a night out or meet in a park to hang out. You can certainly (if you have no symptoms or are especially endangered by the illness) go out for a walk on your own or with your family, but do not gather as a group as that spreads the illness as it is asymptomatic in some people. If you are elderly, have respiratory illnesses (e.g., COPD, asthma), a poorly functioning immune system, heart conditions, and circulatory problems, stay home and avoid contact with others. If people are dropping off food or supplies, have them leave them outside and go and get them after they left. If you have the virus, do not leave the house … you will need to stay in for 7 days if you have a mild version of the virus. Your family members that are living with you will need to stay home for 14 days as that is how long it is possible for the virus to gestate and you are infectious during that time. Following these rules is part of your social responsibility to other people; remember we must protect each other and stand together. Yes, it is boring, but we have a responsibility to each other. Please follow the advice of public health officials and medical professionals. The more people that get sick, the harder they have to work and the harder their decisions will have to be. Medical professionals work hard to save lives; doing their jobs in the midst of a pandemic must be their personal nightmares. Don’t make it harder for them.
Given that women have the primary responsibility for social reproduction a pandemic could be a really bad time for feminism:
For those with caring responsibilities, an infectious-disease outbreak is unlikely to give them time to write King Lear or develop a theory of optics. A pandemic magnifies all existing inequalities (even as politicians insist this is not the time to talk about anything other than the immediate crisis). Working from home in a white-collar job is easier; employees with salaries and benefits will be better protected; self-isolation is less taxing in a spacious house than a cramped apartment. But one of the most striking effects of the coronavirus will be to send many couples back to the 1950s. Across the world, women’s independence will be a silent victim of the pandemic.”
Inevitably, social isolation will mean that women will bear the responsibility of caring for the sick, entertaining the children, cooking and cleaning. Part-time jobs often characterise women’s work and while certainly many of those will still be in employment (we always need cooks and cleaners), others will not. Education which is normally socialised will now have to be done at home as schools close in countries. Mothers will be taking the responsibility for most of these tasks (for single mothers all responsibility falls on them whether they are ill or not). Making evident these assumptions about what women’s place is in society during this period is important; moreover, guess what responsibility for most of these tasks can be shared in a heterosexual household – there is no reason why men cannot cook, nurse, and clean. Supporting each other extends not only to the public spaces, but the private space as well.
The maxim of being there to help others also means recognising that we are all not living in the same situation. If you are in an abusive situation with your partner or children, you are essentially trapped with your abuser. Social distancing and social isolation are, after all, key tools of abusers. So, there are things that you can do to keep an eye on those that you suspect may be in danger and that article has some suggestions on how both victims of domestic violence and those that know of those in that situation can help.
The dangers of Trumpism and neoliberal ideologies
Unfortunately divide and rule keeps spewing from the mouths of some politicians as that is the foundation of their politics. Trump’s insistence on calling the coronavirus the “Chinese” virus is an example of his inability on a basic level to understand social solidarity – it is clearly anathema to his view of reality.
The maintenance of US sanctions against Iran (and introducing new ones) is literally weaponising the coronavirus. Iran is battling a serious outbreak of coronavirus punishes all Iranians who are having trouble obtaining medical equipment (and medicine), food to feed their population and have insufficient access to get these things on the world market due to these sanctions. Even more so, coronavirus will spread from Iran to neighbouring countries and that makes it even harder to get the virus under containment on a world level. US sanctions, of course, are not only against Iran; the same applies to Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea and other countries. The virus must be fought collectively; what good is having one country that is clear when the virus is still spreading elsewhere. Knowledge of both short and long term immunity is insufficient and we have absolutely no idea whether those who have recovered will not get the virus again. That is why most medical researchers and doctors are sharing information between countries in order not only to develop a vaccine, testing (for both the disease itself; but antibodies in recovered patients), different medicines that may be effective against the illness in its second and more deadly phase need to be researched to ascertain their effectiveness. Trump’s repugnant attempt to purchase the German pharmaceutical firm that may be able to develop the vaccine and to secure its use only for Americans is widely (and correctly) viewed as abhorrent; not only did the firm say no (it also closed the American research arm of the firm), but the German government essentially told him to drop dead.
Nary has a day passed without Trump creating a dangerous situation. His desperate need to find a market solution rather than a collective response to the coronavirus outbreak has led to an ineffectual fightback against the virus.
Initially pitting states against states (which meant that poorer states had less chance to get hold of them) he told Governors that they had to find ventilators. Then, the federal government bought them up by outbidding them; thereby undermining efforts to procure them. Even worse, one cannot help wondering if they will either sell them at a higher price to states (that’s capitalism, baby) or worse distribute them to states that are run by people that share his repugnant views. Rather than use Roosevelt’s Defense Production Act to force the private sector to produce ventilators, masks and other protective equipment for medical professionals, he keeps on waffling between saying he will use it or not. Neither position is helpful; the government can demand this be done as the government will be purchasing the equipment – the problem of selling the equipment is eliminated as the government (which does not have a budget constraint) will purchase it. The market exists, channelling production to meet the need can be the perfect role of government: the issue for a lot of these free marketeer politicians who are opposed to state interference in the market (the vast majority of whom are currently running our governments) is that this may be too “socialist” and goes against all their political instincts.
Trump’s announcement at a press conference that the anti-malarial drug, chloroquine, has been approved by the FDA against the coronavirus was not only stupid; it was extremely dangerous. The medicine itself is extremely dangerous and has significant side-effects and should never be used unless prescribed by a physician. Even worse, there is insufficient evidence that it is effective against the coronavirus. His reaction to the NBC reporter who gave him the opportunity to reassure the nation by calling him a “bad reporter” was shocking. I sat there watching his press conferences until it became too painful and aggravating; I could feel my blood pressure rising as I became angrier and angrier. Perhaps, the most useful thing that Trump can do is to shut up; but that alas is not a new thought. But do not listen to any advice that he makes; he is not only ignorant and stupid, but vicious and divide and rule is an essential part of his political ideology.
Trump is by no means alone in his vicious stupidity; unfortunately he is “the leader” of the US; a country with limited public health care in a situation where there is a desperate need for public health care. What is Governor Andrew Cuomo thinking to by cutting medicaid in the middle of a pandemic? What is needed is a stronger public health system that actually can help the poor to get access to health care; not making the system weaker. The ability to fight a pandemic without a coherent public health care system will be even more difficult; Italy has one of the best healthcare systems in Europe and it is unable to contain the virus. The numbers of infected individuals is rising; there are insufficient doctors, inhalators and hospital beds … protective clothing for medical professionals is insufficient (this is the situation for advanced capitalist countries, imagine the situation for countries with poor levels of healthcare; then think of what it is like for people under occupation).
An especially horrific example was the initial policy of the British government in relation to the coronavirus where they essentially were going to allow the virus to spread to develop herd immunity among the population was extremely dangerous; essentially a form of eugenics eliminating the elderly, the disabled and those with weakened immune systems. In the absence of vaccines and knowledge about immunity of those that have recovered, herd immunity is essentially insane. Worse yet, all the time that China gave the west was squandered – instead of mobilising and preparing to fight the coronavirus, they indulged in bizarre theories that had to be abandoned once it became clear that at least 250,000 would die if their policy did not change. Thankfully, they bowed to criticism from medical professionals and political opponents and shifted direction. There is more to be done; but there is actually serious attempt to tackle what is needed. They will certainly need to do more; currently the NHS is paying private hospitals to use their hospital bed and ventilators. They will need to requisition them for public hospital use if this nonsense of paying for beds and ventilators doesn’t stop.
Since our movement is concerned with solidarity and it is international, we need to address the needs those that face special risks and danger. There are groups of people who are in deep trouble when coronavirus hits the population; those in prisons, those in refugee and migrant camps, for example. Palestinians are in desperate need; Gaza is already uninhabitable with insufficient money to purchase medical supplies (like masks, gloves, and respirators), poor sanitation and minimal medical professionals. The situation is grave and they really need help if they are going to survive this pandemic. Even publishing guidance and information about the Coronavirus in Arabic was not done by the Israeli government; Palestinians had to step in and do it themselves. In a situation that is beginning to feel of biblical in its intensity, with a global pandemic ravaging country after country, other problems have arisen; swarms of locusts are pillaging parts of Africa which clearly will affect food supplies at a time when people are already fighting desperately against the Coronavirus.
Some Useful Petitions (add some more in the comments):
Stop Sanctions against Iran:
Win Without War
Corona2plus
Petition to the Israeli government and military to lift the blockade on Gaza and let medical aid through
Petition against Bezos’s demand that his employees give up their sick leave
Suggestions for parents with kids at home