Yoors
Premium
Leave the animals alone, avoid new outbreaks
Translated from Dutch. View the original post
here
In the future, this kind of #pandemic , we need to thoroughly review our relationship with animals. In a period of global disaster, of course, first attention is focused on helping victims and controlling further spread. Measures to reduce the impact of the crisis on humans. That's the understandable first focus.
Yet it is also necessary to look into the future at this stage.. How to prevent another international health crisis? Not by one new vaccine for a recent virus.
To do this, we really need to look at the causes. Long-term prevention requires a paradigm change. To halt virus transmission. Another view of the other animal: from flesh object to living subject.
We live with time bombs in markets and stables, through human interventions in nature. After all the viruses of the past 40 years, we must understand that after the Second World War and the Cold War, the war that still exists. The war on animals.
In a war, you fight against the enemy to achieve peace before reconstruction is possible and secure security. But who is, in the long run, the real enemy of public health?
We, we are engaged in dangerous behavior by exploiting nature and making animals too vulnerable. With intensive contacts that can lead to serious consequences for humans.
The handling of animals is no longer just an ethical issue, but also an economic and social. Public health worldwide is at stake.
The greatest threat to man is man himself. Not the virus is the culprit. AIDS, Ebola, SARS and now the new Chinese coronavirus are diseases caused by human penetration into nature. The relationship human-animal is ruined, causes violence against animals and also, in the form of zoonoses, against ourselves. Destruction and self-destruction, let's face it. This requires political and social debates and dialogues. How to proceed after this crisis? Not without changes and adjustments?
Virologists have long agreed. They say there are more and more risks of pandemics. The danger lies not only in Asia and Africa. Also elsewhere. Here with us.
The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) is clear: a large part of the causative agents of infectious diseases come from animals. It's not their fault. Because these infectious diseases are often transmitted from animals to humans. So we speak of zoonoses. It's time bombs that can go off in densely populated areas. With international mobility, a virus is fast anywhere in the world. With 7 billion people there is a world to win for viruses that we can lose.
Deadly viruses that are likely to be caused by animal torment, hygiene, animal concentrations and excessive meat consumption go hand in hand. Diseases that come blowing up and blowing over because too often we look the other way and set wrong priorities.
For example, the silent waiting is for avian flu. Or another influenza or coronavirus. Then it goes very wrong. A next pandemic that makes this Chinese corona virus pale. A mutated virus can have a mortality rate of 40 to 60 percent for humans. Then all the measures that are now being taken are without chance. The end of cultures, economies and social structures.
We look at the outbreak with our eyes open, buy mouthcaps, hope that the consequences are easy and look for a vaccine. While the real causes don't get any attention.
In 1981, AIDS saw the light. A deadly disease. Two years later, the virus was found that causes AIDS. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus. On this earth, more than 37 million people with HIV. The AIDS virus is originally found in monkeys. Subsequently, it came to man by hunting and trading monkeys, eating bushmeat (a.o. monkey meat) and cutting down the African rainforest. Because man intervened in nature and was blind to possible consequences.
Ebola struck earlier than AIDS. In 1976 by the river Ebola in Congo, hence the name. Also with this virus, the source can be found in Africa. Bushmeat is the cause of Ebola. Bats and monkey meat because we've crossed borders.
The SARS virus showed up in 2002 and 2003. SARS coronavirus (SARS-COV) is an animal virus, possibly from bats, that spreads to other animals, including the civet cats. These animals are a 'delicacy' in China. But also in raccoons the virus can be found. And in China they really eat everything. Cross-contamination may occur during breeding, slaughter and also during cooking.
After this outbreak in 2003, it was said that something like SARS can happen again, but that measures against a virus would be very good. Seventeen years later, it's so far. The new coronavirus is most likely from bats where it has gone to other animals sold at the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan.
For a moment, ghost cities emerge, in other places a lot of mouthcaps, people get sick, some hospitals get full, there's panic, because it's about man, scientists are looking for a cure, and after a few months the rest returns. We cry, grieve for the victims, without reflection.
We have learned little to nothing. Continuing on this naive and immoral foot means that nothing is going to change for man and the other animal. Waiting for the death called the death of Godot and will come. In markets in China, the bush in Africa or the stables in Europe. A virus in a new coat with probably a much deadlier attack. The city, the flesh, the virus and death.
We now focus on preventing spread, maintaining care, reducing the number of victims and a vaccination for the future. To understand and correct, but the best prevention for later is to make another choice.
Still, the markets with live animals are potential sources of great danger. Bigger than other hazards. There must be a ban on these markets as soon as possible. International pressure is essential.
But more is needed. In order to avoid pandemics of this kind in the future, we need to thoroughly review our relationship with animals.
A different view of animals is needed. All these live animal markets and industrial livestock farming not only cause disasters with more than billions of animals dead in the pot each year, but also create great health risks for people.
Because don't forget that the Spanish flu caused between 50 and 100 million casualties a little over a century ago.. A flu that has arisen in China or Kansas. In any case, by again dealing with animals. Pigs or birds what does it matter. Man eats it all.
This new virus, not yet Spanish flu or mutated Mexican, calls for a reflection on our interference in animal life, to prevent a dystopia, a new socially moral natural contract is needed. This is the time for real change. Self-coercion, fewer interventions in nature and the animal kingdom, different and better, safer, more humanely produce, act and consume.
Let's learn from the current pandemic and decide differently to look at the animal, and ourselves, before it is too late for humans too. Not only to give the 150 billion animals a better life every year after a lifetime of pain, stress and anxiety, but also to prevent a deadly supervirus with a mortality of more than 40 to 60%.
Societies collapsing because of not resisting the desire to continue eating animals from the markets in the Far East or because the stables in the West were too full of suffering. Not a prophetic doom, but simply an analysis of a deadly game of chance with a stimulated fate that once falls on the terrible right year.
Let's stop cruelty against animals and let them live within natural conditions with respect for their own value and integrity, and also out of respect for man. Closing markets with animals and rethinking on our industrial view of livestock. It is necessary.
A new virus transmitted from animal to human can lead to a catastrophe worse than a nuclear disaster, climate crisis or World War III. This virus is a wake up call for humanity.
Yet it is also necessary to look into the future at this stage.. How to prevent another international health crisis? Not by one new vaccine for a recent virus.
To do this, we really need to look at the causes. Long-term prevention requires a paradigm change. To halt virus transmission. Another view of the other animal: from flesh object to living subject.
We live with time bombs in markets and stables, through human interventions in nature. After all the viruses of the past 40 years, we must understand that after the Second World War and the Cold War, the war that still exists. The war on animals.
In a war, you fight against the enemy to achieve peace before reconstruction is possible and secure security. But who is, in the long run, the real enemy of public health?
We, we are engaged in dangerous behavior by exploiting nature and making animals too vulnerable. With intensive contacts that can lead to serious consequences for humans.
The handling of animals is no longer just an ethical issue, but also an economic and social. Public health worldwide is at stake.
The greatest threat to man is man himself. Not the virus is the culprit. AIDS, Ebola, SARS and now the new Chinese coronavirus are diseases caused by human penetration into nature. The relationship human-animal is ruined, causes violence against animals and also, in the form of zoonoses, against ourselves. Destruction and self-destruction, let's face it. This requires political and social debates and dialogues. How to proceed after this crisis? Not without changes and adjustments?
Virologists have long agreed. They say there are more and more risks of pandemics. The danger lies not only in Asia and Africa. Also elsewhere. Here with us.
The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) is clear: a large part of the causative agents of infectious diseases come from animals. It's not their fault. Because these infectious diseases are often transmitted from animals to humans. So we speak of zoonoses. It's time bombs that can go off in densely populated areas. With international mobility, a virus is fast anywhere in the world. With 7 billion people there is a world to win for viruses that we can lose.
Deadly viruses that are likely to be caused by animal torment, hygiene, animal concentrations and excessive meat consumption go hand in hand. Diseases that come blowing up and blowing over because too often we look the other way and set wrong priorities.
For example, the silent waiting is for avian flu. Or another influenza or coronavirus. Then it goes very wrong. A next pandemic that makes this Chinese corona virus pale. A mutated virus can have a mortality rate of 40 to 60 percent for humans. Then all the measures that are now being taken are without chance. The end of cultures, economies and social structures.
We look at the outbreak with our eyes open, buy mouthcaps, hope that the consequences are easy and look for a vaccine. While the real causes don't get any attention.
In 1981, AIDS saw the light. A deadly disease. Two years later, the virus was found that causes AIDS. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus. On this earth, more than 37 million people with HIV. The AIDS virus is originally found in monkeys. Subsequently, it came to man by hunting and trading monkeys, eating bushmeat (a.o. monkey meat) and cutting down the African rainforest. Because man intervened in nature and was blind to possible consequences.
Ebola struck earlier than AIDS. In 1976 by the river Ebola in Congo, hence the name. Also with this virus, the source can be found in Africa. Bushmeat is the cause of Ebola. Bats and monkey meat because we've crossed borders.
The SARS virus showed up in 2002 and 2003. SARS coronavirus (SARS-COV) is an animal virus, possibly from bats, that spreads to other animals, including the civet cats. These animals are a 'delicacy' in China. But also in raccoons the virus can be found. And in China they really eat everything. Cross-contamination may occur during breeding, slaughter and also during cooking.
After this outbreak in 2003, it was said that something like SARS can happen again, but that measures against a virus would be very good. Seventeen years later, it's so far. The new coronavirus is most likely from bats where it has gone to other animals sold at the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan.
For a moment, ghost cities emerge, in other places a lot of mouthcaps, people get sick, some hospitals get full, there's panic, because it's about man, scientists are looking for a cure, and after a few months the rest returns. We cry, grieve for the victims, without reflection.
We have learned little to nothing. Continuing on this naive and immoral foot means that nothing is going to change for man and the other animal. Waiting for the death called the death of Godot and will come. In markets in China, the bush in Africa or the stables in Europe. A virus in a new coat with probably a much deadlier attack. The city, the flesh, the virus and death.
We now focus on preventing spread, maintaining care, reducing the number of victims and a vaccination for the future. To understand and correct, but the best prevention for later is to make another choice.
Still, the markets with live animals are potential sources of great danger. Bigger than other hazards. There must be a ban on these markets as soon as possible. International pressure is essential.
But more is needed. In order to avoid pandemics of this kind in the future, we need to thoroughly review our relationship with animals.
A different view of animals is needed. All these live animal markets and industrial livestock farming not only cause disasters with more than billions of animals dead in the pot each year, but also create great health risks for people.
Because don't forget that the Spanish flu caused between 50 and 100 million casualties a little over a century ago.. A flu that has arisen in China or Kansas. In any case, by again dealing with animals. Pigs or birds what does it matter. Man eats it all.
This new virus, not yet Spanish flu or mutated Mexican, calls for a reflection on our interference in animal life, to prevent a dystopia, a new socially moral natural contract is needed. This is the time for real change. Self-coercion, fewer interventions in nature and the animal kingdom, different and better, safer, more humanely produce, act and consume.
Let's learn from the current pandemic and decide differently to look at the animal, and ourselves, before it is too late for humans too. Not only to give the 150 billion animals a better life every year after a lifetime of pain, stress and anxiety, but also to prevent a deadly supervirus with a mortality of more than 40 to 60%.
Societies collapsing because of not resisting the desire to continue eating animals from the markets in the Far East or because the stables in the West were too full of suffering. Not a prophetic doom, but simply an analysis of a deadly game of chance with a stimulated fate that once falls on the terrible right year.
Let's stop cruelty against animals and let them live within natural conditions with respect for their own value and integrity, and also out of respect for man. Closing markets with animals and rethinking on our industrial view of livestock. It is necessary.
A new virus transmitted from animal to human can lead to a catastrophe worse than a nuclear disaster, climate crisis or World War III. This virus is a wake up call for humanity.
Bernd Carpenter Historian/Sociologist
5
- Report this post
