Re: [Marxism] World Health Organization: "What, me worry?"

[Jeff <meisner@xxxxxxxxx>]

At 22:38 27/04/09 -0400, you wrote:
>Fred comments:
>The "virus" -- well, not really the virus but the social relations given the
>character of the virus -- may be better able to draw these lines that
>Joaquin imagines. ....
>
>So the distinction in the deaths is a class, caste, stratification, racial,
>gender distinction, including among nations.

If Fred's thesis is correct (as it would appear from comparison of the
death rates between nations), then it makes me think further about the
WHO's directive against any border controls or travel restrictions. Even
against screening at airports, which might alarm passengers. Instead they
advocate only "mitigation," that is treatment and measures only within each
country.

Would it not appear that the effect of this policy is to protect
first-world profits from routine travel, tourism within the first world,
and commerce? While the price is to be paid by third world countries with
poorer medical systems (and poorer people who can't access it) where people
will die (and tourism revenues plummet)?

Also, I heard this briefly, but haven't seen further discussion of it. That
people started getting sick and dying in Mexico last month (which we now
know) but the Mexican government kept that under wraps in order not to
jeopardize Obama's visit. So they only let the information out after Obama
left, the delay obviously having huge public health implications. Comments
anyone?

- Jeff



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