COVID-19: disease of global capitalism excursions into spatial epidemiology

Abstract

COVID-19 is not deadly in terms of its mortality rate—3.1% in the US. And almost as many people die because of wrong medication or hospital errors. It is deadly in terms of the ease and rapidity with which it spreads—through droplets of spit. And when economies and societies were local and regional in scale, spit did not travel far. But with globalization, especially under finance capitalism, spit travels far, as its carriers move freely—from Wuhan to wherever in a week. COVID-19 is a disease of globalization. It needs to be countered by instantaneous intervention by the WHO and by National Health Services.