It's a false dichotomy. The options weren't "economic ruin" versus "mass casualties", it was "economic ruin and mass casualties" or "economic ruin without mass casualties". There simply isn't a way to keep things ticking along with a disease that kills hundreds of thousands or millions (and the US government's own estimate, which some epidemiologists view as too low, was up to 2.5m dead in a matter of a few months without aggressive intervention) and leaves a large part of the populace bedridden for weeks, particularly if that's happening in a condensed period of time. Take the areas worst affected: people are dying faster than they can be buried or cremated, and that's with intervention. How many people are having a fun night out under those circumstances? How many are continuing business as usual? No one is.
What about for the 250000 people who die every six months in the UK and will spend this time trapped? Just playing devil's advocate here...
Its such a emotive subject. We should all be wary of other peoples situations and fears. Truth is there is no simple fix, there's not even a real plan. We are in uncharted waters. We must all just do the best we can, and hope the toll is a price we can all pay.
Deaths from non coronavirus illnesses are dropping big time due to the lockdown. People will always die, it's about stopping a virus we have no vaccine for running rampant and killing millions. You only have to look at US and Sweden for how ****ed it is getting there.
And this bears repeating: while the evidence suggests thus far that coronavirus isn't mutating particularly quickly, the more chances it has to spread, the more chances it has to mutate. The more chances it has to mutate, the more likely it is that a strain will branch off that can infect individuals who have already recovered from COVID-19. If it sweeps like wildfire through the world and infects 3-4 billion people (which isn't an exaggeration; 30-70% infection rates were the working model for uncontained spread), this could end up being an enemy we're fighting for much longer than a few months.
Also I have mild coronavirus and it ****ing sucks. My breathing and chest is a mess. I am always tired and ache like hell.
Eventually it comes down to: You're basically just terrible at maths and risk assessment. The difference between normal deaths, and coronavirus is that it is VERY contagious. We know VERY little about it. Does anyone honestly think that a Tory government, or a Trump government would enact containment measures without being 200% sure that it's a good idea? These people protect the economy with peoples lives on a normal day.
Friends of my parents were the first in the province confirmed. He was okay; she was bedridden for 2 weeks. Like you, she qualified as mild because she was not hospitalized. Mild for a lot of people means that the car hits you, but doesn't completely run you over. Take care Beefy; hope it passes soon.
It may be 'mild' but if you have real difficulty breathing don't be slow asking for help. It's one of the human behaviour curses that some demand medical attention and resources when not required (we've always done this, look at those insisting on antibiotics for non-bacterial conditions) while others try not to 'bother' the services. Take care matey.
Interesting interview on Newsnight with Jeremy Hunt that explains the shortage of PPE, ventilators and testing kits. The government initially went for herd immunity as evidenced by Cheltenham and Liverpool /Madrid. Then around the 13th switched to containment. By this time Italy, France, Spain and Germany had acquired all the gear. The EU offer of joining in with them wasn't taken up due to a " missing e mail" . Maybe send the cops round to search Dom's place for that!
Sorry if this has been mentioned before........... I know a couple of people who had the virus one quite badly but both have recovered well. My understanding is that once you have had it you are immune to it. But both have been refused the opportunity to return to work. They can’t seem to find out why this is. Surely they cannot still be carriers or could they?
Not unless tested to confirm it was Covid. And we have not got testing kits. See my post above yours.
I think the email was found but to late to join. I'm an old fart so my memory may be wrong but can't be arsed to check. Just another tick in the incompetence box.
Yes both were tested.........I think they were tested in Spain as they were on holiday with family early February. I seem to remember they were back by the 16/17th give or take........
I think the email excuse was just smoke and mirrors, as (if I have it correct) there were 4 meetings about EU members and the UK, collaborating to buy equipment, all of which were attended by a UK representative. There was no need for an email, as we already knew what the plan was.
The Echo reporting 11 deaths, from Covid-19 at the General Hospital. An ex workmate, from way back, is a nurse there and she posted on Facebook that she is having trouble sleeping, without having nightmares, bless her. The trauma they are going through will stay with them for the rest of their lives. https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/18348331.11-die-southampton-general-hospital---cases-expected/