All things political. Coronavirus Edition.

[Maxp]

I fear we are really going to be in a bad place due to the obvious cuts to the federal agencies that deal with infectious disease, but also the negative effect the Affordable Care act has had on non urban hospitals. Our front line defenses are ineffectual and our ability to treat the populous is probably at an all time low. Factor in the cost of healthcare and I can see our system crashing. What do you think about the politics of this virus?

 

[efil4]

I think this virus could care less about the politics.

I think that this crisis is going to be a hurdle for this administration. I fully hope they are prepared and ready to go when needed.

Unfortunately, Trump hasn't faced a crisis of this magnitude in his entire career, and a call from John Barron to the Post won't change the outcome.

I really hope there are some folks in positions that can make decisions without worrying about the politics of them.

We are going to find out soon enough.

And let me be clear here... I hope that NONE of this comes to fruition.

 

[The moose]

Yeah we are in a serious pickle with this if it happens here.

Heck the government got I think 14 more people infected on the evacuation flight.

They put all the people in a bus then separate the infected before the plane ride and low and behold we have 14 more when the plane lands.

Heck they just announced a us service member testing positive in South Korea.

The global health security teams killed by trump in 2018 just because they were started by Obama are really needed now.

 

[coldseat]

We aren't prepared for the arrival of this virus and that's really going to play out in an ugly way. Trump filters every decision through a political lens that's hyper focused on what's best for him and his reelection. And a falling stock market and a health care system that's over stressed and incapable of meeting the need of the population will not be good for him. Not to mention that the media will be on over reaction/freak out mode that will focus on government response and turn the issue even more political.

Good information is going to be hard to come by and our response will be ineffective. We'll get through it, because mortality rate is less than 3%, but it going to be ugly for a bit and a lot of people will suffer unnecessarily. I just hope the city I'm in isn't one of the epicenters.

 

[Beach Friends]

IDK, but I have a daughter in Europe right now so I am pretty anxious. There is nothing about that situation that doesn't make me nervous, especially the transit home.

 

[BrewDrees9]

stock up on what you fear may be out of supply or ridiculously inflated today in order to best prepare for may come next.

bullets, beans and bandages may still hold true in 2020

 

[CoolBrees]

Mmmm. I don’t think you need to stock up the bomb shelter yet.

The WHO is saying this pandemic has moved from “if” to “when” it spreads in the US. But again the mortality rate is 3% as of now.

I read that China’s lock downs did slow the spread considerably and with pandemics, time is what you need most. They have a couple of drugs already in trials. The problem, it said, was the longer the virus exists without a cure, the more chance it has of mutations. It is those mutations that are the real problem apparently. They become med resistant, more communicable, and in some instances can become exponentially more deadly.

Thank goodness we have been responsible with our revenues and deficit spending so we have the reserves to weather a temporary global economic calamity. Oh.

Well at least we have a health care system that is designed to benefit the most vulnerable amongst us because those groups are most susceptible and high quality health care and health management are the best tools against pandemics. Oh.

 

[Burtifus]

It's really not a good time for everything to be filtered though a lens of hyper-partisanship:

 

[BrewDrees9]

not the bomb shelter...lol... but definitely the pantry and a couple of boxes of shotgun shells.

 

[Maxp]

It's really not a good time for everything to be filtered though a lens of hyper-partisanship:

Our president is parroting the same lines. He is still in denial mode about this virus. To be honest, he has little else to do until reality forces him to accept it. Just ignore him and prepare as best you can.

 

[insidejob]

To be honest, he has little else to do until reality forces him to accept it.

When has that ever actually ever happened?

 

[Joe Okc]

I got a question... ok.. 3% death rate.

But how long does a person have this? Can a person get over this without going to the hospital? Is the recovery 100%¿

 

[Infoman]

Not down playing this, because people are being killed by this virus... but the current mortality rate for this virus is (by every source I can find) at or less than 3%... while pneumonia and influenza are at about a 6% or more mortality rate (by every source I can find)....

Is anyone disputing these numbers?

If not, and the mortality rate is literally half as bad as most common forms of the flu and pneumonia combined....

Then why is everyone freaking out over this?

According to the WHO, around 80% of people recover without needing any special treatment... and 97% or so of the people that have gotten this virus (I am assuming based on the numbers) eventually survive it....

What am I missing?

 

[Maxp]

The flu has a less than one percent mortality rate.

 

[Infoman]

Pneumonia and Influenza (P&I) Mortality Surveillance

Based on National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) mortality surveillance data available on February 20, 2020, 6.8% of the deaths occurring during the week ending February 8, 2020 (week 6) were due to P&I.

Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report

Learn more about the weekly influenza surveillance report (FluView) prepared by the Influenza Division.

www.cdc.gov

 

[Infoman]

Besides that, and before we go completely off topic... the point stands... why such the uproar over a virus with an (out of context) 97% survival rate, and an 80% rate of recovery with little to no special treatment?

 

[Maxp]

I'm not really sure what to tell you, so far based on the information we have received this new virus has a mortality rate between 2-4%. The flu has less than .1%. If combining pneumonia and the flu to get your statistic makes you feel better then don't worry about it. Looks to be a much higher percentage of people developing pneumonia with this coronavirus than people with the flu. Good forbid you get both.

 

[Infoman]

The Flu leads to Pneumonia in some cases... I didn't combine them... The CDC did.

Just as I am sure that this virus is leading to Pneumonia (and deaths due to them) in under-developed countries which are going untreated in people that are most vulnerable to dying from it.

Just like the Flu...

Question stands... Why such the uproar over a virus with an (out of context) 97% survival rate, and an 80% rate of recovery with little to no special treatment?

I know the answer... I just want to hear (read) someone else say (write) it.