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**feature image: Early drawings of bacteriophages destroying a bacterial cell, based on electron micrographs, to appear in Russian periodicals. ‘Drawing 3. 1—phage a; 2—phage g; 3—staphylococcus phage; Drawing 4. 4—phage attached to a bacterium; 5—phage pour out from the burst end of a bacterium; 6—“shadows” of a bacterium after phage’. (Reproduced courtesy of Nauka i Zhizn’ issued to The Royal Society; found on: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsnr.2019.0035
\nThe general argument is that the “contain” method, which works in Singapore and Hong Kong, is already too late for many European countries.
\n“herd immunity”
\n“For a viral disease “herd immunity” refers to the indirect protection an uninfected individual receives if a proportion of the population is immune to infection. ” (Dr. Simon Gubbins)
\n…. by vaccination or by a person’s developing immunity having had the disease (i.e. recovery following infection)
\nThe ultimate objective is “transmission grinds to a halt. …” (Prof. Matthew Baylis)
\nhttps://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-comments-about-herd-immunity/
\n“herd immunity does depend on how long individual people remain immune and there is no guarantee that herd immunity will protect people who are not immune from being infected.” (Dr. Eric Bickerton)
\nCritique:
\n“Herd immunity is a potentially confusing term because it really has nothing directly to do with the immune system. When everyone in a group (i.e. a ‘herd’) is susceptible to a disease, and able to transmit it once infected, this means that once anyone in the group becomes infected, then everyone else is at risk. And so the disease has a good chance to propagate. ” (Prof. Rowland Kao. Sir Timothy O’Shea) Vaccination is essential to achieve effective herd immunity.
\nAge Hierarchy
\n“Generating herd immunity in the population, and particularly in younger individuals who are less likely to experience serious disease, is one way to stop the disease spreading and provide indirect protection to older, more vulnerable groups.” (Prof. Peter Openshaw)
\nBut before vaccinations are fully tested, the older generation is prone to high risk. Risks also escalates at peak moments when health care resources are stringent.
\nDr Max Pemberton: “It’s not just coronavirus, ageism is a killer too: DR MAX PEMBERTON on how doctors in Italy are forced to make chilling decisions about which patients are given a chance at life, and why medics in the UK may have to do the same.” Daily Mail 14 March 2020.
\n\nAshton Applewhite: “Age + coronavirus + ageism”
\nhttps://thischairrocks.com/2020/03/09/age-coronavirus-ageism/
\nThe gender story within a health story
\nClare Wenham 2020: “COVID-19: the Gendered Impact of the Outbreak.” The Lancet. 6 March.
\nhttps://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30526-2/fulltext
\nMass psychology
\n“Coronavirus: Psychological Perspectives” The Psychologist v33, April 2020. 10-11. (introduction to the entire issue)
\nhttps://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/coronavirus-psychological-perspectives
\nJohn Drury and Chris Cocking: “The mass psychology of disasters and emergency evacuations: A research report and implications for practice.” March 2007, University of Sussex.
\nhttp://www.sussex.ac.uk/affiliates/panic/Disasters%20and%20emergency%20evacuations%20(2007).pdf (2007)
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Beyond science 科學以外:
\ntiming, discourse production, psychology
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Comparing the response strategies of different countries: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rEp1Z99HsA
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