There is an old story about a travelling compulsive gambler, who finds out that the establishment he entered in a small western town is crooked. But, the thrill and the challenge of the game is too much to resist; and he decides to play anyhow, because it is “the only game in town.”

There can be no doubt that there are sharks about in the business of healthcare, as there are in any area of business in today’s capitalist world. Profit is the driving force of everything, it seems. And the big pharmaceutical corporations are the masters of the game, with their profit margin per individual drug produced reportedly running not only in the hundred or thousand percentage range, but in the range of tens of thousands percent, and with some even reaping hundreds of thousands percent profit from pill production to sale to a helpless public. A 2003 price compilation by the Life Extension Foundation claimed that in the U.S. the retail price of the drug Prozac 20 mg was $247.47, while the cost of generic ingredients used was $0.11, a mark-up of 224,973%. And Xanax 1 mg sold at retail for $136.79, while its generic ingredients only cost $0.024, a mark-up of 569,958%. True, these companies spend millions in research; but Fortune magazine of that same year included the 10 most profitable pharmaceutical companies among the 265 most profitable corporations in the world, “a feat, given that there are literally millions of corporations globally.” And they counted some of the current leading Covid-19 vaccine makers, e.g. Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and AstraZeneca among that group.

It is an undeniable fact that a number of technologically advanced countries have long been conducting research in biowarfare. Biological weapons research is a controversial topic, but it is widely accepted that top security laboratories have been doing research with deadly bacteria and viruses, purportedly to try and find a cure or antidote to such biological agents, should they be intentionally unleashed by an enemy. But there is danger inherent even in such research, as accidents can happen, and biological agents could be unintentionally released upon an unsuspecting and vulnerable population, with the possibility of serious illness and mortality. The fact that there have in the past been a number of such accidents is likewise undeniable, but the public would not find out if the spill could be successfully contained and cleaned up before the spread got out of control. Some individuals have therefore raised the possibility that the current Covid-19 pandemic might be the result of such an accident in a research facility, despite an existing ban on such “weaponizing” biological research.

According to a Wikipedia page on the issue, “The United States biological weapons program began in 1943 and was discontinued in 1969.” And it is also stated on that page that “In 1975 the U.S. ratified both the 1925 Geneva Protocol and the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)—international treaties outlawing biological warfare. Recent U.S. biodefense programs, however, have raised concerns that the U.S. may be pursuing research that is outlawed by the United Nations.” Of course, it stands to reason that if the U.S. was doing it, more than likely other powerful nations were also doing such “biodefensive” research.

According to Friedrich Frischknecht in “The history of biological warfare” at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, “In 1979, the Soviet secret police orchestrated a large cover-up to explain an outbreak of anthrax in Sverdlovsk, now Ekaterinburg, Russia, with poisoned meat from anthrax-contaminated animals sold on the black market. It was eventually revealed to have been due to an accident in a bioweapons factory, where a clogged air filter was removed but not replaced between shifts.”

At this stage of the Covid-19 pandemic, it doesn’t really matter anymore whether it originated from some animal in a marketplace or escaped by accident from a research lab in Wuhan, China; neither does it matter much if the big pharmaceutical companies are making a “killing”, which they likely are, through sale of the various vaccines they have fast-tracked to tackle the spread of Covid-19. And also it is not relevant to our decision-making, to jab or not to jab, whether the WHO or the CDC have changed their official position from time to time, as their knowledge of the virus increases, or the various mutant forms of the virus become predominant among the general population.

Yes, Big Pharma is raking in monster profits, as they always do, with more than a little help from lawmakers in the U.S. Congress to whom they make handsome campaign contributions. But, as the situation stands now, they have the vaccines; and, although the latest word from WHO and CDC is that the vaccines do not completely prevent one from catching Covid-19, the evidence is strongly indicating that the effects are very much reduced in those who are vaccinated.

Again, monkey or bat or an accidental escape from a lab is neither here nor there. The pandemic is upon us, and people are dying; beds are becoming filled in the hospital, and the whole system could be overwhelmed if the infection rate among the unvaccinated continues to increase. Apparently, most vaccinated people don’t need hospitalization, while the vast majority of hospitalization occurs among non-vaccinated individuals. That is the reported evidence from our own KHMH, as well as from the U.S. and elsewhere.

What is scary, is that as the mutations continue, an even more lethal variant of Covid-19 may emerge.

It is a gamble, whichever way you look at it. There are potentials for negative side effects from the vaccine in some individuals with serious “co-morbidities”. However, those same individuals with a weakened immune system, are therefore much more vulnerable to the full effects of the virus, should they contract Covid-19. If one fears that he or she might die from taking the vaccine, it is a given that they should definitely then expect to die from Covid, if he/she should contract it. Such individuals, the very old, for example, who don’t move around much anymore, may prefer to take their chances at staying out of Covid’s way. It’s a gamble. We all definitely need to mask-up, wash hands regularly and keep “social distance;” but if circumstances require a lot of interaction with younger folks, some elders might see the wisdom in taking a chance with the vaccine.

Let’s forget about the crooked Big Pharma companies that are ripping us all off. At this point, we can do nothing about that. Thankfully, there are not that many of us in Belize, and we are getting a better price as well as some donations of vaccines from the big nations. So Big Pharma should not figure into the equation when we make our decision. And in the U.S., like in Belize, the vaccine is still administered at government expense, so citizens get it for free.

And whether Dr. Fauci or WHO or CDC is lying or “changing their mouth” on the possible origin of the virus, again, that is not a logical reason for refusing to be vaccinated.

At the rate this virus is spreading, chances are we will all at some point come in contact with it. Will you be ready?

The question facing every citizen who has not yet decided to get vaccinated, is, “Is it the only game in town?” Is there another way besides vaccination to confidently battle off this Covid-19 if it attacks? Well, it’s your life and your choice. Indeed, nobody knows the long-term, say five years, or ten years, effects of the vaccines; so, in that sense, all of us who have taken it are guinea pigs, all approximately two billion worldwide to date. However, what has been convincingly proven so far, is that here and now, vaccinated individuals appear to have a scaled up immune response to the virus, so that their risk is significantly reduced for hospitalization or death.

There are some treatments out there – Ivermectin, Remdesivir, etc., which all have a protocol of administration with doctor supervision, if they are still accessible in a high-demand situation. And on the local scene, we have our herbs like fever grass, vervine, etc. as well as ginger, coconut oil, garlic and honey concoctions, and vitamin D from enough sunshine that many believe can help boost our immune system and alleviate the symptoms and effects from Covid-19.

But, we are talking life and death here. All those things are well and good, to help our situation. But there are no absolute guarantees. When the enemy strikes at our door, then we know what gives us a sense of safety or comfort. In the game being played in this town right now, and from all reports elsewhere, among those who contract Covid-19, vaccinated people are faring far better than the unvaccinated. In fact, there have been repeated cases in U.S. news media of proclaimed anti-vaxxers falling victim to Covid-19, and then giving their tearful death-bed advice to family and friends to please take the jab. This Covid is no joke!