March 19, 2020
Welcoming a warm spring of hope amid stress and anxiety from Coronavirus pandemic
Without finding a proven vaccine and medicine to stem spread of
Deadly coronavirus 19, mankind around the world is focusing on how to prepare for minimization of its pandemic; wearing mask, gown, gloves, social and physical distancing, placing the affected people in quarantine at least for 15 days.
The status of Covid 19 cases in the affected countries;
Case death
Italy 41,000 3,403
US 13,000 193
China 100,000 3,100
Japan 870 19
Korea 8,000 150
Medical and health experts around the world are struggling to find a vaccine and trying to develop anti-body based treatment from the blood that survived Covid19.
President Trump announced today that US may consider applying soon anti-malarial drug to treat Coronavirus after its final testing to human body. Dr. Fauci, director of National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Disease, indicated that after 14 days of contact without any symptoms of infection, no virus is infected.
It is very unfortunate that Covid19 pandemics already caused $6 trillion dollar loss to global economy, which will make our lives very difficult to maintain our standard of living, as the level of consumption, investment, employment and production went down 50% below the previous level, resulting in minus economic growth rate and drastic reduction of government tax revenue. The zero interest rate of FRB will not stimulate already dampened economy and collapsed stock market to the level of the great depression in 1929. An economic poverty tremendously affects the level of income and daily consumption of low class and middle class people.
In order to cope with the anxiety and stress emanating from pandemic Coronavirus, a message of hope is in the air as spring brings us a sense of vitality, when birds are singing again under the blue sky. Some people are enjoying a beach parties in Florida and other people in Italy and Spain are in a mood of celebrating spring festival to mitigate the stress and anxiety from the Coronavirus. A life keeps going on and a suitable vaccine and drug will take care of this terrible virus, as was proved in our human history. We thank you health and medical professionals for their utmost efforts to stay at work so that we can stay at home. Let’s live with a hope and dream that everything will be fine with our lives. I began to do physical exercise every morning by waist stretching 500 times, arm swinging arms 200 times and shooting 50 golf balls with a driver in the 250-yard hole behind my back yard. One way to make myself mentally happy is to think positive and optimistic, pursuing tranquility and peace at the Yang Han Jeong(양한정) on the hill in my backyard and, physically strong through exercise, come what may, thus maintaining sound body with sound mind.
Hubert Hojae Lee, Ph.D
Korean American Foundation USA(www.kafusany.com)
A Member of Presidential Advisory Bord