This article From WeChat Public Account Correction Bureau (ID: zhengjieclub) , Author: positive solutions Board
The development of a new pneumonia epidemic may be unexpected.
The cumulative diagnosis of the United States has exceeded 83,000, surpassing China (82,000), and has become the country with the largest number of diagnoses in the world.
The epidemic is also hitting the world ’s largest economy: the United States, who applied for unemployment benefits for the first time last week reached 3.283 million people!
In fact, it is widely expected that the employment situation in the United States will deteriorate due to the epidemic, but it is generally estimated that 1.6 million people will be unemployed because last week this number was only 281,000.
The number of 3.283 million people is an unthinkable number. What is this concept?
The US financial crisis was 669,000, and the world economic crisis in 1982 was 695,000.
Equivalently, one in every 50 office workers across the United States lost their jobs last week.
The unemployment rate in the United States was only 3.5% last month, but Miguel Castro, an economist at the Louis Fed, estimated that in the second quarter, the US unemployment rate may be as high as 32%.
You know, when the Great Depression of 1929, the unemployment rate in the United States was only 24.9%.
(The large chart on the front page of the New York Times vividly illustrates how severe the number of unemployment figures across the U.S. skyline has been)
And just over a month ago, the new crown virus was still raging in China.
At that time, some studies gave 3 kinds of predictions: under the optimistic assumption, the number of domestic infections will reach about 58,000, the neutral assumption is more than 88,000, and the pessimistic assumption is that domestic prevention and control failure, virus spread, and global pandemic .
(Model prediction under neutral assumption)
Now the domestic epidemic situation has reached the final stage, with a total of 82,000 diagnoses.
Unexpectedly, the epidemic situation has emerged from the fourth development trend.
China, including the Confucian cultural circle deeply influenced by Chinese cultural traditions, China’s Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Vietnam, have all suffered the first wave of virus invasion.
The most dangerous place was the safest place.
The epicenter of the storm has moved to Western countries.
Unfortunately, China has spent more than a month of precious time for the rest of the world, especially the western countries with late epidemic outbreaks, wasted for nothing.
Western countries are still busy in the face of virus invasion.
Why is East Asia doing better than the West when it comes to epidemic prevention and control?
East Asia keeps on, but the West falls.
Let’s look at the following picture first.
On February 25, a total of 2372 cases were confirmed overseas, of which 1744 cases were Japan and South Korea, accounting for about 74%.
Due to the emergence of super communicators, on February 27, there were even 813 new patients in Korea in a single day. As for the Buddhist practice in Japan, some people have asserted that 10,000 cases are just around the corner.
At the time, in the West, except for Italy, which was more difficult, others were “preventable and controllable.”
Unexpectedly, less than a month, there was a 180 degree reversal.
The earliest lost China has entered the foreign defense stage.
In overseas epidemics, South Korea and Japan also retreated.
Western countries have become the epicenter of the epidemic, especially in Italy, where the death toll is already the largest in the world.
Whether it is a cumulative diagnosis or a single day of new additions, the top ones are basically occupied by Western countries.
In addition to the more rapid outbreak in mainland China, and the large movement of people during the Spring Festival, strong measures such as closing cities have to be taken. Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and other East Asian countries and regions have one more special feature: ensuring social The economy is basically functioning.
Japan has never stopped economic activities. Shopping centers such as Ginza and Roppongi Hills have always been normal.Open.
In terms of education, although Shinzo Abe called for a full suspension of elementary and middle schools, Shimane Prefecture, Ishikawa Prefecture, Ota City, and other places exercise local autonomy. Some only stop elementary schools and some middle schools. , To a large extent maintain the normal operation of the school.
The cost of epidemic prevention in South Korea is also very small.
At the end of February, some media reported that Daegu City and Gyeongsangbuk-do were closed. In fact, to be precise, this closed city is not a closed city. The official name is “the strongest blockade measure.”
The so-called strongest blockade is simply a ban on gatherings, reducing the density of population gathering, blocking the spread of epidemic communities, and not prohibiting traffic.
Ichihachi Qiu, Daegu City, the hardest hit area, has not yet been completely blocked. It can be seen that the entire South Korea has not implemented shock control.
(Interestingly, because of the epidemic closing the border, there are not many in East Asia)
Japan and South Korea can quickly reverse the situation. They also benefit from an important external environment: China and Vietnam’s two neighbours have subsided the epidemic and controlled the spread.
Vietnam is the fourth country with new pneumonia patients. In addition to the huge trade volume between China and Vietnam and South Korea, it is not easy for Vietnam to control the epidemic.
And China ’s achievements are even more obvious and need not be said.
What I want to say here is a fact that can be easily overlooked: How much does China spend on epidemic prevention?
It is reported that the first-line medical staff of the epidemic prevention subsidized 300 yuan per day, and the other medical staff and workers participating in the epidemic prevention were 200 yuan per day.There are more than 170,000 medical staff (including support from other provinces). Calculate that, in Hubei, the subsidies issued every day may be tens of millions.
During peak hours, a city in Wuhan alone needs about 100,000 sets of protective clothing per day. The average cost of a set of protective clothing is close to 400 yuan, which means that Wuhan ’s daily expenditure on protective clothing is close to 40 million yuan.
According to a surgeon in Wuhan, a critically ill patient who was treated with ECMO from hospitalization to discharge was about 400,000 yuan. Even if ECMO is not used, it will cost around 200,000. And these are all in the hands of the state.
The invisible economic loss caused by the construction investment and economic shutdown of Vulcan Mountain and Lei Shen Mountain is even more difficult to estimate.
From a total point of view, the investment in epidemic prevention and control arranged by fiscal authorities at all levels across the country has exceeded 100 billion yuan.
In addition, more than a month ago, the value of cash donations and statistic material donations of enterprises alone exceeded 21.8 billion yuan.
It is difficult for the West to imagine that it is possible to mobilize the country’s power in times of crisis, and that more than a billion people in the country can unite as one and work together to bear such a large cost.
East Asia’s achievements in fighting the epidemic have been achieved step by step.
The West also wanted to keep the city closed without stopping work, but it messed up
In the early days of the epidemic, the general attitude of Western countries was that they would not close the city and stop work.
But compared to East Asia, the results are quite different: the wildly spreading outbreak shows that the West has messed up.
This is confusing: what went wrong?
There are many reasons here. Let me give you one of the most prominent examples: masks.
The entire western nation has sent a hatred of masks on their faces. In the eyes of many Europeans and Americans, wearing a mask on the street is no different from wearing a sick clothes.
Even if the government appeals, it will not help, because the western people who advocate freedom and individuality always care more about their own judgment.
As a result, there were incidents of discrimination and assault on Asians for wearing masks a few days ago.
Italy is even harder, not even my compatriots. In the first two weeks, a member of parliament in Italy was mocked for wearing a mask at the meeting.
In East Asia, only Singapore urged people not to wear masks (but they still distributed them), others like China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam all paid great attention to wearing masks.
Especially for Japanese masks, only the word love can be summarized.
According to NHK News, Japan ’s mask consumption in 2018 was about 5.5 billion, with 44 per capita.
In the early days of the outbreak, Japan has been fully engaged in mask production to increase production. At the beginning of March, the Japanese official stated to the people that in March, 600 million masks will be produced nationwide (although it is only China’s 3-day output, but it is not easy for Japan).
From March 6th, Japan will send free masks to each household through the post office, for a total of 42 weeks.
Using a family of three, each person can receive a free government mask every day.
The government’s contribution and the willingness of the people to cooperate. So now in public places in Japan, basically everyone wears a mask.
(After the outbreak, the streets of Shinjuku, Tokyo)
Han Bingzhe, a Korean-German philosopher, commented that in Germany, individualism is associated with a naked face.
Apart from masks, policy efficiency is also a big factor.
After new diagnoses and deaths skyrocketed in recent days, Italy launched a “cities closure” mode.
But the closure of Italy is no different than the closure of the city, or even worse. Protests caused by the closure of the city led to a larger gathering of people who did not wear masks.
Deep-rooted individualism makes the people skeptical of government policies, which is a major challenge facing Italy ’s closure.
(Yes, there are only two places in Western ideas that can be used with masks: sick, demonstration)
At a press conference in Italy a few days ago, Sun Shuopeng, vice chairman of the Chinese Red Cross, began with a sentence “I don’t know what everyone is thinking” and went straight to the problems facing Italy.
According to him, even Milan, the city with the worst epidemic in Italy, has a very loose blockade. Not only buses are still running, but even hotels are gathering.
Compared to this, South Korea’s policy efficiency can be praised with thumbs up. At least, Xintiandi, which once called the wind and rain, was afraid to close in South Korea.
A sudden outbreak in South Korea was caused by a super communicator of the Xintiandi Church Daegu Branch. Afterwards, the leader Li Wanxi wanted to hide his secret assembly and refused to provide a list based on his domestic prestige.
As a result, the South Korean government directly marched about 200,000 Xintiandi believers.A comprehensive investigation was carried out, and Li Wanxi and the twelve tribes of Xintiandi Religion were brought to court on charges of homicide and injury.
Li Wanxi, who used to be a prestige, had to hold a press conference and twice apologized to the people.
But the Korean people have no sympathy. More than 1 million people have signed up on the website of the presidential palace to sign petitions, calling for the suppression of Xintiandi religion.
Different people
The mountains and rivers are different, the wind and the moon are different.
Facing the virus invasion, East Asia and the West produced a completely different answer.
Basically, this is determined by the characteristics of two different cultural circles.
When facing the crisis of the country, the people of East Asian countries know the general situation, talk about order, advance and retreat, and unite as one.
The Western people are more free-spirited and generally more concerned about their personal interests.
(Reflections from Western media: people don’t care about government orders)
This has even evolved into a secret confrontation between the government and the public, such as the “herd immunization plan” that the British government originally wanted.
There is a point of view that the important purpose of the British government to do this is to force the public to pay attention to the epidemic.
Sounding against the west has always been a British specialty.
Before the herd immunization plan was announced, Whitney, the chief medical officer of the “British version of Zhong Nanshan,” had strongly appealed to the people to cancel overseas travel, suspend sports games, and not go on cruises.
As a result, the British people use freedom as an excuse.
So the herd immunity program came into being. On the second day when the plan was officially confirmed, the original half-marathon of Bath, which had been registered by 12,800 people, was suddenly reduced to 6,200 people.
The bustling streets soon became deserted. Many foreigners working and studying in the UK have to travel thousands of miles to return home.
At this point, the British people know how to converge on their own taunts, which is beyond imagination.
In fact, this is also a common practice in the West.
(now the streets of London)
People in East Asian countries are more willing to follow the instructions of the country.
Take Japan as an example.
In order to avoid medical runs, the Japanese government requires that in order to perform a nucleic acid test, two steps must be taken: a cold symptom and a fever exceeding 37.5 degrees Celsius for more than four consecutive days; report to a nearby clinic if the clinic doctor determines that a nucleic acid test is needed, Then transferred to a superior hospital.
Some time ago, Sun Zhengyi announced that he had provided 1 million nucleic acid detection kits to the public for free, but he was notorious for his good intentions. Because Japanese netizens believe that blind detection will cause panic and paralyze the medical system.
The anxious Sun Zhengyi changed to donate 1 million masks and purchased them from overseas. The result was sprayed again because everyone thought that it would cause the delayed delivery of other masks that have been ordered.
The cooperation of the Japanese people with the government is evident.
A little digression here. On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake broke out in the northeastern part of Japan, making it the fifth largest earthquake in global history.
At the time, more than 70,000 tourists playing in Tokyo Disneyland, at the critical moment when the surrounding surface was sinking and seeping water, actively cooperated with the staff to create the miracle of no death or trample.
The Japanese people ’s sense of order and overall situation can also be glimpsed from here.
In fact, this is also the general behavior pattern of the people in East Asia.
Two cultures, two results
Last 100 yearsHere, the western society has led the progress of human civilization. Many people think that western civilization is paramount and completely rational, and they follow the liberalism they preach.
In comparison, East Asian civilization seems pedantic and ridiculous.
It is true that western liberalism can better stimulate creativity, which is why they can lead epoch-making achievements.
(The picture shows the Martian immigration, Western liberalism gave birth to a number of “crazy” ideas)
But in this outbreak, whether it is China, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, etc., the performance is quite bright.
Although these countries have different epidemic prevention policies, the collectivism and discipline of East Asian society are shared.
This is the key to successful epidemic prevention.
(unemployed people lining up for food in Berlin, Germany)
When it comes to a critical moment, the advantages of East Asian society are revealed.
Western society has become a negative example. Too much pursuit of individualism and freedom, but he fought in the face of the virus.
We cannot simply say that this is the victory of Confucian culture.
Speaking of which, the world is cold and hot, no matter whether East Asia or the West, whether the epidemic can end, you can’t just look at one side.
But we did see the feedback of Confucian culture.