In 1996, scientists at London's Imperial College predicted that millions of people could develop new variant CJD (linked to the 'mad cow' panic that dominated the headlines for months).
The following year the scientists estimated that upwards of 10 million people could die from this strange new disease. By 1998 this estimate was lowered to half a million; and in 2002 lowered again to 32. The actual number of deaths from CJD was 17. The scientists were wrong. Thankfully. But being wrong doesn't mean they should be ignored.
The reason I'm reminding you of that story is that there seems to be evidence that millions of people in the UK and Ireland - along with millions more in most other countries - believe that the scientists are still wrong; as they were for the predicted number of deaths from AIDS, Avian Flu and Ebola. It's not that they don't think there'll be any deaths - they have accepted there have been and will be more - it's just they don't believe the scale of the deaths. Deep down they have convinced themselves that somehow it'll be alright on the night and we shouldn't panic (although that doesn't stop them panic buying, in the assumption, I presume, that if Covid-19 strikes them it will be beaten back by a mountain of bog paper, baked beans, pasta and beer).
Which probably explains why every country that has introduced a form of lockdown (usually consisting of a broadcast asking people to cut back on social activities and keep safe space between themselves and others) has to revisit the issue a week or so later and opt for the enforcement approach to lockdown. And that's because huge sections of the population - the ones who probably believe the scientists are wrong; or the ones who think that Covid-19 doesn't have them in its sights (or if it does it'll just be like a heavy cold) - completely ignored the 'soft' lockdown.
I couldn't care less about people who choose to be reckless about their own lives. That's their own choice. Climb any mountain they choose, without either a map or the proper equipment; it's their choice and I'm happy enough to let them get on with it. Yet those people will still expect mountain rescue services and paramedics to save them when, through their own stupidity, they get into trouble. Because those sort of cavalier morons still believe they have a right to be rescued from and saved from themselves.
It's the same with those who ignore all the advice on tackling Covid-19. They don't protect themselves. They don't take precautions to lessen the chances of contracting it. They don't seem to give a damn if they pass it on to others - let alone their own friends and family. But if they get it, and many of them will, they will still expect to be treated in exactly the same way as those of us who have exercised caution; those of us who have kept an eye on our children and know where they are; those of us who don't panic buy because we believe we need to help each other; those of us who accept the hardships and restrictions of isolation because we believe it's the best way of protecting the most vulnerable; those of us who believe we have a debt of responsibility to others.
Evidence suggests that many of these cavalier morons will be ignoring the latest form of lockdown; going out when they feel like it, ignoring the safe space rules in supermarkets and abusing any member of staff or customer who dares to point out their stupidity and lack of concern for others. A friend told me of a party a few doors from his own house on Tuesday evening, where a young couple - recently moved in and with no children - seemed to be having an 'open house session' for about 30 or so guests. I presume all of those people must have a wider circle of friends and family, so why would they ignore advice on social gatherings?
I think the new collective adjective for these cavalier morons is Covidiots. Thousands of deaths across China and Europe and hundreds of thousands of people contracting the virus doesn't seem to be enough to stop the Covidiots in their tracks or make them rethink their lifestyles. The fact they could be responsible for the death of others, while adding significantly to the pressures on the NHS and frontline staff, has no impact, either. To put it bluntly, the Covidiots are as big a bloody menace to us as the virus they're named after. Ironically, of course, they're too stupid to realise that.
