(opinion article)

“Every human life is of inestimable value.”(Desmond Tutu)

April 14, 2020, Kyiv. Daily we get dramatic data about new victims of the coronavirus. The global leaders in COVID-19 deaths are the USA with 22, 649 lethal cases, Italy with 20,465 dead people, and Spain with 17, 756 virus victims. The death of every human creature is the tragedy for all his or her relatives, friends and co-workers.  Though, the pandemic peak will peter out in the middle of May because all viruses do it so, it is desirable to do at least some slight analysis.

When we seek the countries in Europe with the lower death rate and the total number of lethal cases, we find out that in all Scandinavian countries these indicators are considerably less. In Finland – 59, in Norway – 134, in Sweden – 919. Low numbers of death cases are in Belarus – 33, Estonia– 29, and some other countries.

While thinking about the reasons of such significant differences in the spread of the coronavirus and its appalling aftermath, it becomes obvious that one of the features uniting all Scandinavian countries, including Estonia and adding Belarus, is that their vast territories are covered with coniferous (from pines and firs) and mixed forest (oak, birch, pine, etc.).

The same situation is in the USA. Just take a look at the map of the states affected by this sly virus. Alaska, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, with their wild and dense forests, feel the best against the sinister situation in New York State. Mother Nature helps the Northern states a lot.

Many scientists have determined and proved that coniferous forests are extremely good for all people suffering from respiratory diseases. As Professor B.P.Tokin affirmed, and later it was done by such scientists as H.Muller-Dietz, Li Q.Morimoto, all trees produce antimicrobial phytoncides killing numerous microbes, bacteria and virus surrounding them. Phytoncides include more than 5,000 volatile substances protecting plants from various attacking organisms. Oak needs 5 minutes to kill all viruses and bacteria around it, pine – 10 minutes, poplar – 9 minutes and birch – 20 minutes. It is not surprising that a lot of sanatoria or medical facilities for long-term lung diseases are located in forest zones.

Taking this information into account, I guess it would be a good idea to send more infected-with-the-coronavirus people to the forest sanatoria or even hotels placed in wild woodlands. Old oaks and high pines will do their best to help these people to get better soon.

Business owners of forest hotels and state officials responsible for timberland medical facilities could render their charity assistance to the thousands of those who fight for the recovery from this wily virus.

Their time has come. New challenges are on the horizon. The COVID-19 victims are waiting for their strong-minded steps. There is no more precious than a human life…