Covid 19 Crisis: Crime, Poverty and the Need to evolve Social Security

further magnify the association between Covid-19 and China thus exacerbating the racial inference and ameliorating his faults.

To maintain his position, with respect his voters, Trump’s allegations have included charges against the World Health Organisation (WHO) as handmaiden of the Chinese. But Hassanal Noor Rashid points out in “Who Is At Fault” that “Despite having news of the virus in early January, there was no caution taken to successfully mitigate its spread in the West”. Trump though, firstly threatened to defund the WHO and ultimately he has withdrawn the US from the organisation at a time when the disease has yet to show signs of abating.

In nine short months the world has suffered almost a million Covid-19 deaths. Confirmed cases to date is 30,694,541 a figure accrued from January 2020. And after half a year, the virus is still exhibiting surprises. Initially, seemingly virulent to the usual suspects, the old with their baggage of autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular problems it moved on to the young and strong. By now it has become clear that it can affect just about anybody, when given half a chance.

The WHO urged solidarity among nations as a defence against the pandemic. Much cooperation especially to formulate a vaccine and find an effective drug did happen. To date a Russian vaccine has been tested and patented. According to reports China is on the verge of announcing her vaccine. Meanwhile, in the UK AstraZeneca’s AZD1222 vaccine being developed with Oxford University will resume trials after the UK regulators decided it was safe. One test participant in the US came down with an inflammation of the spinal cord. The clinical trials will be resumed in order “to provide the vaccine broadly, equitably and at no profit during the pandemic,” according to the company’s statement. As Hassanal Noor Rashid in his “Covid-19 Crisis: Crime, Poverty and the need to evolve Social Security,” shows this spirit of altruism is much needed.

Regrettably, while the lockdowns have proved very effective in retarding the spread of the virus, in some instances it has led to increase in domestic violence. And, too, a surge in unemployment, which has led to growth in crime rates.

Even more unfortunate, the pandemic declared by the WHO in March 2020 was politicised and instead of solidarity the hegemon, under Donald Trump, decided on continuing attacks of sanctions and even an attempted invasion of Venezuela in early May this year, to maintain US stranglehold of the world as highlighted by Dr Chandra Muzaffar in “Coronavirus: Sanctions and Suffering,” and “An Invasion in the Midst of a Pandemic”. The United States went on to demonise China, attacking the Chinese Communist Party government as a dictatorship and accused her of repression of the Uighurs and the population of Hong Kong, especially. Trump sent two aircraft Carriers to the South China Sea in celebration of US Independence Day, even while China was carrying out military exercises there in her own waters.

But of even greater importance is Covid-19’s demonstration of the inadequate public health care services of many nations. Capitalism, when as predatory as in the US, cannot be sustained for universal good. A social system of sorts must be implemented which reaches even the least fortunate in society. That the American example clearly demonstrated the near abandonment of the poor with regard healthcare provisions is good reason to advocate for universal healthcare and social services wherever it