by Frank McCarthy
“These are the times that try men’s souls”.
Those eight words made up the first sentence, of the first in a series of 16 worldwide legendary pamphlets, authored by Thomas Paine, during the revolutionary war. The first pamphlet was published in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the 19th of December 1776. During the revolutionary war and beyond, until 1783 Thomas Paine published a series of 16 pamphlets, most often referred to as Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” pamphlets. Why common sense? The reason for that is that each pamphlet written by Thomas Paine, was signed at the bottom, with the pseudonym, “Common Sense”.
What the Country and the world is going through today, related to the fears and panic caused by the coronavirus, I would assume to be similar, in many ways, to what our ancestors experienced during those difficult times and trying tribulations of the American revolution.
What we should concentrate on, however, is the fact that our ancestors survived all of those hardships, including fear, panic, disease, and yes, even war, and brought forth into this world the greatest nation that has ever existed on the face of the earth. Since then, we have suffered through several additional wars including two world wars, the scourge of polio, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and numerous other diseases that once plagued the world, but are now almost forgotten. My point is…This too shall pass!
I believe, half the battle is one’s mindset. If you think negative, negative it will be. However, I have found, in even the most dire of cases, including violent combat, if one makes it a point to concentrate on the positive, the rain will stop, and the sun will shine.
Today, I did much reading in a principled attempt to find things that most would find encouraging. I hoped it would help enable us to put things in proper perspective, and therefore help us to focus more positively. Here is some of what I found. I hope it helps…It did me.
In Wuhan China, the epicenter of the covid-19 epidemic, the government has closed the last of 16 temporary hospitals. They simply did not have enough patients to keep them open. Encouraging?
Dutch researchers have recently discovered a human antibody they believe offers a potential prevention as well as a treatment program for the covid-19 virus.
Again, in China, a 103-year-old woman has been cured of the virus, after only 6 days of treatment.
Several subsequent covid-19 tests were found to be negative. If that isn’t encouraging to you, to me, at age 82 with only one lung, it’s very encouraging news.
The Cleveland Clinic has developed a drive through test site, that will provide test results… in one day!
South Korea, one of the hardest hit countries in the world by the virus, has already experienced a substantial decline in new cases. The Korean people find that encouraging.
Israeli researchers are already very close to announcing the development of a new vaccine.
The Governor of Maryland has announced that the first three virus patients from within his state have recently tested to be virus free; totally recovered.
Canada has successfully isolated and grown copies of the virus itself which will greatly help in the formulation of a vaccine.
A San Diego biotech company has already identified a vaccine, which is currently being developed further.
And finally, scientists have discovered that it may be quite possible to use blood plasma, taken from recently recovered patients, to treat those seriously ill with the virus.
We will get through this. The items described above are meant to be an encouragement and, at a time like this, encouraging news is very much welcome and more Importantly, extremely helpful. I ask that we all Pray for our leaders, especially our President and Governor. Extend grace to one another and assistance when possible. Follow the necessary protocols promulgated by the CDC, and finally, put politics aside. I hope this helps, even if just a little. Above all, remember… we are all in it together and shall get through it together!