Re the couple in a box. Whilst I think it an abhorent violation of human right and disturbing, this IS China we are talking about. A country which there are credible reports of 'reeducation camps' and widespread abuses of minorities including organ harvesting and mass executions.
Its shocking to our eyes, but its also not surprising.
On the flip to this, China is perfectly happy shooting its own citizens in front of foreign journalists. Its done that before, so the fact the couple were not simply shot on sight and then cleaned up at least remains. Its something to cling to.
People rounded up into quarantine centres (with bars on the window) might well be going to their deaths if they are uninfected. But the state is at least providing facilities where there is a chance of survival. And where there are blocks of flats welded up, there are at least windows for supplies... Grim and distressing to observe as it is.
I admit its not a lot to cling to, but then I don't know what would happen if a widespread deadly pandemic did strike the UK. The government has the power to lock down our cities or to round up infected people (even if that meant effectively condemning them to death) even under our democratic laws. Our human right laws include national emergency exceptions provided they are 'proportionate'. Faced with a disaster where the deaths of a small number ensured the survival of the many, this COULD still happen. I can easily imagine vigilante groups and large numbers of violent crimes breaking out in the uk in the event of a pandemic. Faced with mass panic and civil unrest harsh and seemingly inhumane decisions might be the ONLY way that our government could cope with such a crisis and protect even larger numbers of vulnerable people.
I don't advocate this, nor am I remotely comfortable with this. I am simply mindful of the brutal reality of natural disasters (as opposed to deliberate man made and politicially created 'crisis') and the limited options open to civil planners in extreme circumstances. We simply don't understand the reality of anarchy when it arrives on our doorsteps until it actually arrives.
We have been sheltered from these kind of situations in the UK for so long that we do take this for granted far more than we should.
We are only a couple of weeks away from complete societal collapse when it comes down to it. Our safety and security really is that fragile.
Its frightening to really think about this, and tbh I think one of the reasons coronavirus is scaring people so much is because it causes some people to stare their own mortality in the face or to think about what would happen in the face of the breakdown of our society functioning.
How will you cope? How will you survive?
These are questions that the majority of us don't face on a daily basis in this country. Yet there isn't much more human than thinking about where we and our family get adequate basic food and water, how we ensure we stay fit and healthy in the absence of health care and how we make sure we have safe and secure shelter. Whilst also looking over our shoulder to see if someone we thought was our friend and/or neighbour isn't about to mug us for what little we do have.
It IS anxiety producing. We are not wrong to feel afraid. Anxiety is an emotion left over from our survival instincts. Anxiety is the emotion that helps to keep humans alive and identify threats to us. Anxiety drives medical advances and scientific advancement. It drives human exploration. Anxiety is healthy as long as its controlled and kept in context by good assessment of how much of a risk something actually is to us.
Utterly grim.