Fourcade

Chessie, I agree with you. Whilst whatever you find strange to eat is a matter of culture, the way animals are killed and kept prior to eating should be done humanely and with as little distress as possible.  Until you have walked around a far eastern food market it is difficult to understand how these things operate. The wet markets of China are wholly disgusting, and their capture, treatment and killing of animals, especially endangered ones should be a matter of global outrage (and by the way, they eat frogs too). Several pandemics have originated from china, and industrial and cruel nature of their animal hubandry allows viruses to cross the species barrier. We have known this for a long time, and have sat on our hands. As I understand it the enormous wet market in Wuhan is opening up again. I am a meat eater, but if we learn anything from this pandemic it should be that Chinese animal husbandry cannot continue in its present form. If it does, the next virus to emerge from there may be a lot worse.

Whilst I am very glad that your wife had such good treatment, and whilst my wife and I have also had excellent treatment at the hands of the French health service, I can't help but think that you are being a little mean spirited in your post. My wife had a detached retina whilst she was a student. The NHS treated it and saved her sight. Two years ago an optician was concerned that the retina was detatching again, and made an appointment for her to see a doctor at the nearest NHS eye clinic. She was seen within 48 hours and given an all clear. But all this is by-the-by. NHS staff are working very long hours, some without all of the protective gear that they should have. They put themselves at risk for their patients. Several doctors have died of Covid19, and two nurses died today. I know the same is true in France, and I salute the health professionals there also. This is not a contest. You can be grateful for the excellent service you have received in France as well as being glad that the NHS professionals are doing their best in your former country. My wife and I both took part in the Thursday night applause, and whilst I live in a very small village it was good to hear the applause coming from our neighbours as well.