There are no good answers to this pandemic. Various countries have tried various approaches and it seems that the virus is spreading everywhere, in waves.
There are no good answers to this pandemic. Various countries have tried various approaches and it seems that the virus is spreading everywhere, in waves.
In theory that’s fine. But how many old people either live in nursing or other group senior living facilities staffed by younger people who will be out contracting covid or are dependent on younger people to come help
them with various activities and potentially infect them? A lot. Aiming for herd immunity ignores that and ignores the fact that there will be a lot of middle aged Chris Christie’s that will need several days in limited ICU beds to survive covid. And since we’re nowhere close to herd immunity getting there will be a long ugly slog with a lot of dead people along the way. Especially since a not insignificant chunk of the population still doesn’t take this seriously and won’t do their part by wearing masks and taking other precautions.
Personally I’d prefer a more humane approach. We’re the richest damn country that ever existed. The only reason people are hurting financially is because of the selfishness of Mitch McConnell who thinks this is all a laughing matter and the complicit senate republicans.
In Ann Arbor, U of M students are essentially on lockdown for two weeks, effective immediately. The county realized at least 60% of the cases were from U of M students.
https://www.freep.com/story/news/edu...us/5993741002/
Another problem with herd immunity is that we don’t know how long immunity lasts. Other coronaviruses have immunity that only lasts 1-2 years. So we may never get there without regular vaccinations. Like the flu shot.
Same strain?
I've read reports about a couple cases where someone had caught a different/mutated strain.
Have one friend who has been in the hospital on a respirator (CEO of a bank), one of our suppliers tested positive, then two relatives of a coworker (family, an hour away) tested positive and one of them is in the hospital and not expected to make it. It is getting a lot closer.
I don't think anyone could point to a single country where just protecting old people has worked, but I am all ears. Because it's seeming like what part of does not work don't you understand? In theory this and that, got a working model, a single example? Because it seems like everywhere younger people get sick, older people do too. I'll go with a theory without a single working example only if all other options are worse (so yes in a certain doom scenario, running with untested theory may make sense), otherwise where are the examples?
I also find it profoundly inhuman and immoral to not follow a policy of reducing spread so things are safer for everyone, but instead to make old people prisoners indefinitely. Everyone sacrificing indoor restaurants and bars actually is preferable to old people being imprisoned in their houses entirely so we can have restaurants and bars. Of course if we look at the actual victims which aren't just the old, some might find it even more immoral, but it's old people AND it's poor people and minorities. Duh.
Only so many countries are doing great at this. Many are stumbling along. Making things even worse by allowing uncontrolled spread won't improve anything.
In retrospect it's OBVIOUS to me that the U.S. would do badly at Covid, and I'm wondering how clueless were those who predicted otherwise? And how patriarchal? I mean ok Trump doesn't help anything at all, but a fact about the U.S. compared to other developed countries is vastly more women in the U.S. die in childbirth than in other developed countries (California is an exception). A country that can not save the lives of women in their prime like it's developed peers do, is maybe not going to be stellar at dealing with a pandemic. That more than some high tech we might have should maybe have been the symbol how competent we are at healthcare and how we would cope.
Trees don't grow on money
That is why people should assess their risks and act accordingly. Live with elderly people? Do your schooling remotely, etc.
I am staying away from my parents, only visiting outdoors 10+ feet apart. Do I like not having hugged them since early March? No, of course not, but family gatherings are now acknowledged as a major transmission route, other ways being cut off through lockdowns. I didn't need this week's news to tell me that though. It's common sense which is why I have been doing it all along. Living in a cold climate Thanksgiving and Christmas with them will be out this year too.
If only the slogan ‘die for the Dow’ had proven more popular we’d be over this pandemic by now. Sure, lots of old people and minorities would be dead, but we could paint it as a heroic, patriotic thing. Maybe build a monument to their lost lives on Wall Street where all their loved ones could go to remember them and think ‘grandpa sacrificed everything so that I could go out to my favorite bar.’
The problems with attempting to get herd immunity, spelled out in a succinct article.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/19/o...-immunity.html
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