Why?

[RogueX]

My husband flies reporters for news in Boston and they covered when Biogen was at the Marriott for their meeting and later when they were being bussed to the hospital.

 

[RamblingMad]

I'm sticking to Sky News via PlutoTV for my news on this virus.

 

[mefordis]

Please take this very seriously. This man has the virus and he's documenting it on Twitter. He says he feels like his lungs are being ripped out of his chest. He's been struggling for several days with it. He is young, too!

(Please try to ignore his political leanings if you disagree, he is still suffering with this disease.)

https://twitter.com/_KevinSteele_

 

[wilbret]

Exactly & ppl would FREAK if the US tried to do that so doing this now helps us not get to china proportions while allowing Americans to still keep most of the freedoms we are used to having.

So welding people into their buildings isn’t normal?

 

[mefordis]

Exactly two weeks ago Italy, a country with 60M (the US is 327M), had 1000 cases. Today they have over 21,000 . Today we have 2500 (it's reported but one hospital I know of has 20, so way underreported I'm thinking).

 

[pryncess527]

Exactly two weeks ago Italy, a country with 60M (the US is 327M), had 1000 cases. Today they have over 21,000 . Today we have 2500 (it's reported but one hospital I know of has 20, so way underreported I'm thinking).

Testing still seems entirely too spotty to be making public health decisions with, I think those erring on the side of caution will be glad they did if we ever get testing to a reasonable level.

 

[ReneeA]

Joe Rogan's interview with Michael Osterholm, a world renowned epidemiologist who works with the WHO and CDC when we have infectious disease threats was very informative. I really like dry old infectious disease docs, so I watched the entire hour and a half. He gave lots of the info you're asking, and if you aren't one of those "science doesn't matter" idiotos, you'll come away with some more detailed knowledge.

 

[Hrhpd]

Our state has no "community spread" cases, so far. They've all been directly exposed while traveling. I do expect that to change, but the first case in our state from a couple weeks ago who self-quarantined has recovered. The other 18 confirmed cases are still in the middle of the virus and appropriate steps are being taken for quarantining. Our state is also expecting 37 passengers from the stranded cruise ship in Oakland after their 14 day quarantine. They will finally be able to come home.

That you know of.

S. Korea has performed 1.5 million tests
Italy 1 million
The US....1,800 at last count last week. And our country is much larger.

Our numbers are artificially low. There is no saying that there are only have x amount of cases or there is no community spread because nobody has that data anywhere in the US. We do not have the tests, people with suspected cases are going untested. Our governor just said that he has 500 on hand and is receiving another 1,500. For a state with 6 million people. There is no way that will give accurate numbers. Without testing, there is no containing nor mitigating.

 

[Searc]

That you know of.

S. Korea has performed 1.5 million tests
Italy 1 million
The US....1,800 at last count last week. And our country is much larger.

Our numbers are artificially low. There is no saying that there are only have x amount of cases or there is no community spread because nobody has that data anywhere in the US. We do not have the tests, people with suspected cases are going untested. Our governor just said that he has 500 on hand and is receiving another 1,500. For a state with 6 million people. There is no way that will give accurate numbers. Without testing, there is no containing nor mitigating.

You're preaching to the choir. There is nothing you've said that I don't know. You're a few days behind on threads. This has all been covered extensively the last three days.

 

[ChrisFL]

Please take this very seriously. This man has the virus and he's documenting it on Twitter. He says he feels like his lungs are being ripped out of his chest. He's been struggling for several days with it. He is young, too!

(Please try to ignore his political leanings if you disagree, he is still suffering with this disease.)

https://twitter.com/_KevinSteele_

ironic

 

[Snowysmom]

I understand what OP is saying about coronavirus. Most of us who get it will either not have any symptoms or mild ones. Unfortunately some among us will be very ill and some will pass away. We do need to find ways to stop the spread and I believe that by being very cautious and rational we will do the right things to control this. We will never really know how many people had or have coronavirus because most will not have to get tested. We will never have true mortality rate. It will be artificially high because of this. Everyone just needs to use precautions, wash your hands, stay home if you feel sick, use common sense, and listen to a reliable news source for updates.

 

[MarkLT1]

I think another similar, though reversed question to ask would be:

"If COVID-19 will have an effect no worse than the flu, why would governments across the world (including our own, and China, the largest economy in the world) be taking drastic steps that are potentially devastating to their own economies?" If we go on the premise that government actions are being taken based on evidence and expert advice, then these are some extraordinary actions to take if this thing is likely to only be like the flu or a cold. If, on the other hand, there is ample evidence that COVID will be worse to potentially much-worse than the seasonal flu, suddenly such drastic actions begin to make more sense.

(sub-note, I am in no way trying to argue that the actions being taken are fully appropriate, nor that our governments are 100% acting based on evidence/expert guidance. However, I don't believe these kinds of drastic economy slowing steps would be implemented if there was sufficient evidence that the wide-spread effects of this virus would only be as bad as the seasonal flu)

 

[Hrhpd]

You're preaching to the choir. There is nothing you've said that I don't know. You're a few days behind on threads. This has all been covered extensively the last three days.

Well bless your heart. You are correct. I did read the whole thread so again, apologies for reiterating a point.

 

[pryncess527]

At last it’s a point worth reiterating

 

[Farro]

I think another similar, though reversed question to ask would be:

"If COVID-19 will have an effect no worse than the flu, why would governments across the world (including our own, and China, the largest economy in the world) be taking drastic steps that are potentially devastating to their own economies?" If we go on the premise that government actions are being taken based on evidence and expert advice, then these are some extraordinary actions to take if this thing is likely to only be like the flu or a cold. If, on the other hand, there is ample evidence that COVID will be worse to potentially much-worse than the seasonal flu, suddenly such drastic actions begin to make more sense.

(sub-note, I am in no way trying to argue that the actions being taken are fully appropriate, nor that our governments are 100% acting based on evidence/expert guidance. However, I don't believe these kinds of drastic economy slowing steps would be implemented if there was sufficient evidence that the wide-spread effects of this virus would only be as bad as the seasonal flu)

Agree with your premise.

Still the way I am understanding- the actions being taken are to slow down the spread so hospitals aren't overwhelmed. That really seems to be the main concern at this point, everywhere. The WHO repeatedly says that most people will get a mild version of this disease, it's just everyone is getting it all at once and healthcare is overwhelmed! Those who do get the pneumonia from it have it doubly worse if there's no room at the inn so to speak.

At the moment, Covid is worse because we don't have a vaccine or natural immunity because it's new. We don't have numbers to say if the disease itself is more deadly. We just don't. Too many people have never been tested to know the true denominator. And hopefully when we get the vaccine, Covid will be only as bad as the seasonal flu.

And when we start testing as many people as they can, numbers will sky-rocket. But that's not necessarily a bad thing if the majority of cases do not require hospitalization.

But right now we just need to slow it down so our hospitals can keep up and treat everyone, Covid or not.

 

[NotUrsula]

And to add to the explanations about flattening the curve, it may also help to know that Italy actually has more physicians & more hospital beds per capita than the US does.

My next comment is NOT political, but a simple statement of fact. Italy has a healthcare system that has no fee-for-services for all who live there AND paid sick leave for all; the US, notably (and uniquely, among all nations currently experiencing spread of the virus) does not, which means that from the beginning, there has been a higher likelihood of sick Americans recklessly putting others at risk because they literally could not afford to make the illness known. That had to be taken into account as well when estimating the probable transmission rate here, and it is part of the reason for the increased sense of urgency.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Here is another answer to the "Why" question. Seems that even those who recover are left with reduced lung capacity. We saw the same thing with MERS and SARS, also coronaviruses:

Coronavirus: some recovered patients may have reduced lung function and are left gasping for air while walking briskly, Hong Kong doctors find

 

[Minniesgal]

Read this. If you still are not sure why, read it again. Then again and again and again until you understand.

Now if you don't trust the virologists who all agree with that assessment, I have no answer for you, but that is the why, even if some don't accept it.

Considering how few people with symptoms worldwide are being tested we have no idea what the mortality percentages are.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Considering how few people with symptoms worldwide are being tested we have no idea what the mortality percentages are.

Totally agree - but we know that every virologist believes it to be much higher than the flu. Only people with an interest in it being lower suggest otherwise - not scientists. So, do we hope that it is lower, and use hope as a strategy to fight this? Or do we trust in science?

 

[Minniesgal]

Totally agree - but we know that every virologist believes it to be much higher than the flu. Only people with an interest in it being lower suggest otherwise - not scientists. So, do we hope that it is lower, and use hope as a strategy to fight this? Or do we trust in science?

Believes but lacks the data to know either way