COVID 19. This is clearly a very real medical problem and it's going to seriously effect a small but significant number of people in North America—-Indeed, as it has elsewhere. I do not think that millions of Americans are going to flood, overrun and crush our hospital system. We ALREADY KNOW the basic statistics / percentages of people who will have serious medical problems, who will need advanced hospital intervention, and who will experience long term, serious disease maladies. That number is significant, but EXTREMELY small. For every 1000 people testing positive, only a very few will need to to anything more than stay home, rest, drink fluids, and get through it. Many will not even know they have it. There are certainly a few who will have urgent, serious symptoms and require hospital beds, ventilators and other high level medical attention. Given the numbers of potential infections, and the number of hospitals and medical facilities we have up and running….in most of the country, I think we've got this. Yes, some hospitals and supply chains will be stretched and there will be shortages. We need to prepare in a reasonable and fact-based fashion. Mostly we need to understand this is not a political disease nor is it a philosophical disease. It is a scientifically ascertainable disease.
It doesn't matter whether you're a Democrat or Republican it will unfold as it unfolds. We do need to try and minimize / control the infection rate. We do need to make sure our medical system is well supplied. We do need to make sure that our economy gets all the help it needs to remain on an even keel, so there is a viable country left three months from now. At the same time we do not need to set our hair on fire and go running around screaming about things that haven't happened yet. Right now the numbers look like we can handle this and it will pass in a couple of months. It's going to be difficult and expensive. We must avoid politicizing it and make sure the truth and the facts are being used as the basis for our actions.
Post Script:
I cannot agree or disagree with things that have not yet happened, but which are expected to happen, based upon population experience elsewhere.
Virtually EVERY emergency, stated shortage, containment tactic or governmental action, thus far, is based on what is PROJECTED to happen, not what is actually going on.
In my 5 county area, there are 300,000 or more people. There are 3 or 4 who were admitted to hospital, and I think 1 still there. A person has died. Yes, these are serious issues, but an overload or tsunami of critically ill sufferers has not shown up at any hospital in this area.
Lots of people have asked to be tested, yes. But the business closures, restrictions, curfews, medial shortages...these are not based on what is happening. They are based on an unknown infection rate.
It doesn't matter whether you're a Democrat or Republican it will unfold as it unfolds. We do need to try and minimize / control the infection rate. We do need to make sure our medical system is well supplied. We do need to make sure that our economy gets all the help it needs to remain on an even keel, so there is a viable country left three months from now. At the same time we do not need to set our hair on fire and go running around screaming about things that haven't happened yet. Right now the numbers look like we can handle this and it will pass in a couple of months. It's going to be difficult and expensive. We must avoid politicizing it and make sure the truth and the facts are being used as the basis for our actions.
Post Script:
I cannot agree or disagree with things that have not yet happened, but which are expected to happen, based upon population experience elsewhere.
Virtually EVERY emergency, stated shortage, containment tactic or governmental action, thus far, is based on what is PROJECTED to happen, not what is actually going on.
In my 5 county area, there are 300,000 or more people. There are 3 or 4 who were admitted to hospital, and I think 1 still there. A person has died. Yes, these are serious issues, but an overload or tsunami of critically ill sufferers has not shown up at any hospital in this area.
Lots of people have asked to be tested, yes. But the business closures, restrictions, curfews, medial shortages...these are not based on what is happening. They are based on an unknown infection rate.
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