Vahe H. Apelian
There are aspects in life that do not lend themselves to statistics. After all, of what use or comfort statistics may bring to the persons who lost a loved one as the only casualty in a war? Statistics may also dehumanize events. It is attributed to the “man of steel”, Stalin, for allegedly and ill reputedly having stated that the death of one person is tragic but the death of thousands is a mere statistic. However, using statistics surely serve a purpose to draw a comparison, to make some sense of figures, to understand the dimensions of the event and its impact on the living. It is with such an intent that I resort to the following statistics, for all its worth.
I was drawn to resort to it from a posting that recently Raffi Doudaklian posted on his page. It pertains to a simmering perception in Armenia regarding the Covid-19 pandemics. The posting has appeared on PM Pachinyans’s page claiming that the Covid-19 is a hoax and is being used by the PM Pachinyan’s government as a political pretext. The posting read: “In Armenia there is no Corona pandemics. It is a fake, media-fabricated pandemics, whose main aim is to spread inordinate fear among people and through fear, the intent is to break down the spirit of the people and to disarm its collective psychology. As to what purpose is he doing that? Contemplate about it yourself. Surely it’s not for good nor in favor of the Armenians.” One hundred and ninety-nine readers had responded to the posting, by clicking of what is now familiar buttons to us, as “like”, “anger”, and “haha”.
It is inevitable that response to this pandemic will be politicized. But reasonable people of all political persuasions would be expected to shed light on the reality of the pandemics that transcends politics. Has the Pachinyan government bungled its response to the pandemics? Surely the PM had uncalled for bravado at the very onset of the pandemics. However, his government soon resorted responding and addressing the matter appropriately. Could the pandemics have been under more control had the PM government taken a much aggressive stand early on? I resort to the following statistics to formulate my response.
I live in Boylston, MA. It is one of the smaller towns in the Worcester county. Boylston is some seven miles from the City of Worcester, which is the epicenter of the Armenian American community (“Worcester is America” by Dr. Hagop Martin Deranian). The first Armenian churches were built in Worcester. Khrimian Hayrig established the Armenian Apostolic Church in this city where the Diocese functioned until its move to the New York City. The oldest Armenian church, the Armenian Evangelical Church of the Martyrs erected on December 1, 1901 is still in use in Worcester. The church is named after the martyrs of the Hamidian massacre. The following is the official statistics of the Covid-19 ravage in the Worcester County, MA.
Reiterating the statistics posted above: the population of Worcester County is 822,280 persons. It has 11,465 confirmed cases, of which 27 were added yesterday. Thus far the county has registered 804 deaths, 14 of which happened yesterday. In all, 1.394% of the Worcester County population, where I reside, has been infected by the Covid-19 virus. That is an inordinate high percentage and number of deaths, especially when we take into consideration that Worcester is some 35 miles north west of Boston, which boasts reputable hospitals in the U.S. and the state is known for its advanced medical research and is a hub for medical research and is medically very conscious and very responsive.
How does Armenia fare in comparison to the Worcester County? The statistics are attached above. I estimate the population of Armenia to be 3 times that of population of Worcester County, approximately 2.5 million. The confirmed cases in Armenia is 11,221, similar to the reported in the Worcester County (11465). Surprisingly far fewer people have been reported to have died in Armenia (176 deaths), compared to the deaths in the Worcester County (804 deaths).
Is Armenia doing better than Worcester County?
I cannot bring myself to conclude that because the course of this pandemics is not worn out yet. Worcester County appears to be much better prepared as it has 97% available beds. The available beds are not mentioned in Armenia but I doubt it can match Worcester County's. Having stated that, I conclude the following: it is an exercise in futility to ascribe the pandemics to the doings of Boghos or the infamous, all present, all conniving, all omnipresent Soros. As to who the Boghos are in Armenia? It appears in Armenia that is how they deprecatorily call their average, everyday political opponents, turned their nemesis. Should you be not a political supporter of the PM Pachinyan coming to power, Boghos are those who supported him; but for those who supported PM Pachinyan coming to power through the velvet revolution, Boghos are those who did not support the movement. It matters not who Boghos or Soros are in Armenia, Covid-19 will run its course and the only person who and the entity that can help contain it, is not the government with its imposed restrictions that it cannot possibly strictly enforce; but it is the average, law abiding, observant citizen of Armenia whom I named Toros.
Does the Covid-19 present a serious threat to a country, be it sparsely populated Armenia?
It sure does.
For all those interested I invite them to read or watch Jared Diamond’s documentaries on Youtube. Jared Mason Diamond (born September 10, 1937) is an American geographer, historian, anthropologist who is best known for his popular science book, titled: “Guns, Germs, and Steel” (1997).In his book he makes a compelling case that not only guns and steel brought down and decimated civilizations, germs did as well. Age old civilizations in North America, in South America, in Hawaii were decimated no less by germs for which the “conquistadors” had immunity but the natives did not. The latter's only revenge was introducing syphilis to the powers to be of the day, to which the natives had immunity but the conquerors did not.
Covid-19 appears to spare no one. There are no “conquistadors” in the world who appear to be immune to it, be Americans, Armenians, Arabs, Chinese or Indians or any other countrymen.
Yes, Covid-19 is a serious threat and may lead to social collapse. It behooves us to remain cognizant of that reality and support the ongoing efforts to contain it.
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