When those in Paris think of markets it comes to mind Joel Thiebault, a purveyor of the finest in Paris markets where I used to buy some fantastic organic vegetables and radishes were a favourite.

Some, if not most “wet markets” scare the hell out of most westerners especially when they those in Asia. Yet without “wet markets” most people throughout Asia cannot survive.

Those markets are wet when they are handling wet goods, or when they try to clean the market floor by washing it with water. I have been in so many wet markets, but I never eat in those markets due to hygiene.

You see locals in the early morning hours, people shopping, working and enjoying life. Many markets are social outings for many homebound throughout the day. The fresh goods kilometer zero what most city boys dream of.

These markets are what eastern Asians are used to and for a longtime. Their immune systems can populate the community bacterias and solve most issues. However in some cases where animals are kept alive, it posses trouble even though there isn’t any real proof of Wuhan’s origins just yet.

After all, many countries have poorer populations and fresh is more important than just convenience. The idea of eating animals we keep in our zoos across the globe freaks us out. At the same time, Chinese have been eating what they consider animal treasures for centuries, and so why all of a sudden do we have transmission from animals to animals? A good question to be answered and in hindsight Wuhan virus is an amazing phenomenon. I am still pondering over it day and night.

It started in China and spread so readily, and it took World health Organisation some time to track it down and make the general public aware of a possible pandemic. And if suppression was the key, shouldn’t World health Organisation have known that fighting spread is critical. I do give some leeway to the World health Organisation, however if there was any doubts, they should have acted immediately.

In early January: Chinese authorities have made a preliminary determination of a novel (or new) coronavirus, identified in a hospitalized person with pneumonia in Wuhan. Chinese investigators conducted gene sequencing of the virus, using an isolate from one positive patient sample. Preliminary identification of a novel virus in a short period of time is a notable achievement and demonstrates China’s increased capacity to manage new outbreaks.

The cost of trusting other people World Health Organisation didn’t have the access needed to access the corona virus or did they? Where they went wrong was writing the following:

World Health Organisation does not recommend any specific measures for travellers. World Health Organisation advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the information currently available.

Wet markets, and Wuhan’s was closed on January 1, 2020 and I am sure such markets would be next to impossible to closeas they are crucial to the livelihood of millions of farmers and small business vendors and are a center piece of communities across China.

Lost cost fresh produce is consumed by so many families but it doesn’t mean we need to have civets slaughtered or wild animals kept in cages. The bigger problem is waste, human waste is being used (sewage) to water and feed animals, so maybe while we blame wet markets, maybe we should blame ourselves.