[Snorlax94]

HOWEVER, note that the fatality rate (0.7%) outside Wuhan was 1/3 to 1/6  of the rate in Wuhan.  This suggests to me that the fatality rate was much lower when the health care system wasn't overloaded.   I hope that to be the case in the rest of the world IF steps are taken to limit transmission, thus avoiding overwhelming the health care system.

This is the reason we can’t F around with this virus. Look at Iran to see what happens when healthcare system can’t handle to burden of needing to get so many people on oxygen or ventilators. We simply must prevent geometric and exponential spread or we won’t be able to handle the load.

My other concern is people not going to hospital for care and refusing tests because they can’t afford paying medical bills. And then there is the potential of wearing down health care workers if they are overloaded. Some reports from China have shown psychological damage to healthcare workers from stress and being so overworked, akin to PTSD.

This runs the risk of being considered a “political comment” but it stuns me and concerns me that the federal government doesn’t appear to be taking covid 19 seriously. Some in government and in the media keep insisting “it’s just a cold.” 

It boggles my mind that money wasn’t allocated a month ago for communities to stock up on more masks, gloves, barriers, ventilators and possible treatments (i know there is already an existing stockpile, but in a bad scenario, it won’t be enough). It boggles my mind that the federal government hasn’t urged for ramped up production of possibly needed supplies. 

I am also a bit mystified that the US seems like the only developed country without a fast, accurate, functioning test. Recently, it seems like an ill patient went many days undiagnosed (though thankfully suspected) because the CDC dragged its feet to run tests, then took a long time to get results.

I was just in Hawaii and I can’t imagine the current government would ever do anything to risk those international tourist dollars, whatever the risk. (I could see one more travel restriction on s korea and don’t think they’d do anything more except in a doomsday scenario).

I am also cynical that further restrictions aren’t being taken because the government wants to protect the profits of the travel and hospitality industries. I know people who have already purchased tickets to travel abroad and feel pressured to go because they don’t want to lose the money. I think it’d be worth it to pass a law making non-refundable international travel refundable. I could see that being a great protective measure, but am very cynical. I do worry that covid 19 could spread more widely due to prioritizing $$ > lives.

Too political?

[Snorlax94]

HOWEVER, note that the fatality rate (0.7%) outside Wuhan was 1/3 to 1/6  of the rate in Wuhan.  This suggests to me that the fatality rate was much lower when the health care system wasn't overloaded.   I hope that to be the case in the rest of the world IF steps are taken to limit transmission, thus avoiding overwhelming the health care system.

This is the reason we can’t F around with this virus. Look at Iran to see what happens when healthcare system can’t handle to burden of needing to get so many people on oxygen or ventilators. We simply must prevent geometric and exponential spread or we won’t be able to handle the load.

My other concern is people not going to hospital for care and refusing tests because they can’t afford paying medical bills. And then there is the potential of wearing down health care workers if they are overloaded. Some reports from China have shown psychological damage to healthcare workers from stress and being so overworked, akin to PTSD.

This runs the risk of being considered a “political comment” but it stuns me and concerns me that the federal government doesn’t appear to be taking covid 19 seriously. Some in government and in the media keep insisting “it’s just a cold.” 

It boggles my mind that money wasn’t allocated a month ago for communities to stock up on more masks, gloves, barriers, ventilators and possible treatments (i know there is already an existing stockpile, but in a bad scenario, it won’t be enough). It boggles my mind that the federal government hasn’t urged for ramped up production of possibly needed supplies. 

I am also a bit mystified that the US seems like the only developed country without a fast, accurate, functioning test. Recently, it seems like an ill patient went many days undiagnosed (though thankfully suspected) because the CDC dragged its feet to run tests, then took a long time to get results.

I was just in Hawaii and I can’t imagine the current government would ever do anything to risk those international tourist dollars, whatever the risk. (I could see one more travel restriction on s korea and don’t think they’d do anything more except in a doomsday scenario).

I am also cynical that further restrictions aren’t being taken because the government wants to protect the profits of the travel and hospitality industries. I know people who have already purchased tickets to travel abroad and feel pressured to go because they don’t want to lose the money. I think it’d be worth it to pass a law making non-refundable international travel refundable. I could see that being a great protective measure, but am very cynical. I do worry that covid 19 could spread more widely due to prioritizing $$ > lives.

Too political?