Publisher’s Point: What In The Wuhan Is Going On?

By: Ali Elizabeth Turner

As I have been out and about of late, I have heard several variations on the theme of “I am so sick of this,” meaning the cramp that COVID has put on things. Most goodhearted folks of both genders have put on their “mascara” (the Spanish word for “mask”) and pretty much taken it in stride, with a bit of grumbling along the way. Here in Alabama, we are waiting for another 10 days to see if some of the recommended restrictions can be lifted.

In California, a veteran warned at a heated city council meeting that though he is a vet, loves this country, and has put his life on the line to protect it, “people are starving” and they are not going to tolerate the draconian controls put on the California citizenry much longer.

Meanwhile, in our own area, as of last week, Madison County had seen a 25% drop in reported COVID cases. However, it seemed there was not much to celebrate as far as public health officials were concerned, and Elkmont High School has closed temporarily.

Dr. Fauci is out, Dr. Atlas is in, and some Tweeters are suggesting that the president killed his own brother by his COVID commands, or the lack of them. Republicans have been called “plague spreaders,” and Democrats feel that it is racist to even mention Wuhan, (the city where it all began) in connection with COVID, because it happens to be in China. I am wondering what would happen if the lab had been located in Wabash, Winnetka, Winnipesaukee, or Waco? All the aforementioned sniping has sadly become that to which we have largely become tone deaf. Just another day in Paradise…

But speaking of Wuhan, here is something that should give one a great deal of pause and at least a paltry attempt at head scratching, or banging, if need be. A few days ago in Wuhan, there were raves held at wave parks with celebrators packed in the pools like sardines. They were frolicking in the water with brightly-colored inner tubes, and seemingly not having a care or a mask in the world.

And, just in case you have a different concept of “come on in, the water’s fine,” there is a club in Wuhan called the Space Club that is also packed, and it is not the only one. But wait, wasn’t it just in February that we were being told about metal doors of dwellings being welded shut with the occupants inside, and crematoriums rivaling the production rate of Auschwitz on a busy day? Then, to make things even stranger, China stopped testing in March and Wuhan hasn’t had a reported case of their “hometown Corona brew” since MAY. Well, I suppose it could be argued that if you stopped testing, you might not have any new cases to report, but does any of this seem odd to anyone besides me?

The purpose of this “Pub” is not to make you want to overindulge at any watering hole, violate a recommendation, or endanger a soul in any way; it is just a semi-playful attempt at asking the obvious: What in the Wuhan is going on? We may never know…