If the flattening isn't working is it time to face reality?

[JimMIA]

@erc and those that are more worried about the economy looks like business will probably be back to normal sooner rather then later. It sounds like the White House is going to suggest to people it will be ok to go back to work as long as they wear masks. Its sad to see that money is more important then peoples lives.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...20ea0a-6cfc-11ea-a3ec-70d7479d83f0_story.html

I'll believe that when someone legit says it. WaPo is a terrible source of information these days. Their almost exclusive focus is the 2020 election, and everything is slanted the way they want.

WaPo is not alone in that, of course. MOST media sources have an editorial bias, but I'm especially cautious whenever I read something some reporter "expects" to happen -- the old "...people are saying that..." stories.

 

[Lynne M]

In my small town, one dumb donkey posted pictures of having a regular FULL birthday party for their child!!!! I don’t know who’s worse the parent for having it or the parents who had their kids attend it!

That made me think of this article:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/20/health/new-jersey-coronavirus-victims/index.html
Out of one family gathering: four dead, two on life support, one stable, 19 others in quarantine.

 

[DLgal]

Is it the lack of protective equipment or the numbers of patients that makes it overwhelming already? We have 924,000 hospital beds and about 3,000 coronavirus hospitalizations nationwide right now.

Just to simplify this train of thought...an available hospital bed in Iowa doesn't help a critical patient in NYC.

Yes, our nation has 924,000 hospital beds. But, like Italy, if the outbreaks are concentrated in only a few geographic regions of the US, hospital systems in those areas will very quickly become overwhelmed. It is not practical to transport patients across the country for care.

 

[Jrb1979]

I'll believe that when someone legit says it. WaPo is a terrible source of information these days. Their almost exclusive focus is the 2020 election, and everything is slanted the way they want.

WaPo is not alone in that, of course. MOST media sources have an editorial bias, but I'm especially cautious whenever I read something some reporter "expects" to happen -- the old "...people are saying that..." stories.

Legit or not, its still scary that so many are more worried about the economy over peoples lives.

 

[Farro]

Legit or not, its still scary that so many are more worried about the economy over peoples lives.

Worrying about the economy IS worrying about people's lives...

 

[sam_gordon]

Its sad to see that money is more important then peoples lives.

I think to a certain point, it is. If you're only talking one death (I know we're not, hang with me here) is it worth going into a nationwide depression? If you're talking 1M deaths, you're right. The question is, where is the line?

 

[JimMIA]

On the hospital bed question, it's not just a question of how many beds and their location. Type of hospital bed is critical. Covid-19 patients can't be in the general population -- they have to be isolated. Many need oxygen support of various types. The most severe cases need ventilators in ICU.

The key is not the raw number, but whether the type of accommodation and equipment the patient needs is available.

 

[JimMIA]

Legit or not, its still scary that so many are more worried about the economy over peoples lives.

I have not seen a single person with that attitude yet. Not in medicine, not in business, not in government...not one.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

Keep in mind we don't have 924,000 empty beds. We have other reasons those beds are in use, and often they are all full. In 2 semi-recent ER visits, one time they wanted to admit me, and I waited over 12 hours for a bed. A bed was never available during that time, and finally they decided I was okay to be discharged after all. For awhile during that visit I was on a cot in the ER hallway, as the ER was full. Another visit, we waited 6+ hours in the ER for a bed after they decided to admit us. The system is stressed even in non-pandemic times.

Yeah, 924,000 sounds like a big number until you realize we have 327 million people in this country (and ~68.7 million people above the age of 60). If 0.3% of the population is in the hospital... all beds are full.

Then you get into what type of equipment is needed and the numbers shrink even further.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Kind of fits scrolling to read this after I posted....

He works there and is doing his job.

lol.

You must not be practicing social distancing. The point is to stay away from people. He was well aware we were there and he was putting stuff away in the aisle not things right where we were standing. Everywhere else people were politely saying "oh do you mind if I can get in there, etc" as they were trying to maintain distance.

Truly I think the employee was just not thinking about the distance factor. It's like going up for a handshake or hug and realizing no wait not supposed to do that right now. Everyone harps on everyone to do this all together. It was more or less me pointing out it's not only the customers who fail to maintain distance at times.

 

[skyblue17]

I'll believe that when someone legit says it. WaPo is a terrible source of information these days. Their almost exclusive focus is the 2020 election, and everything is slanted the way they want.

WaPo is not alone in that, of course. MOST media sources have an editorial bias, but I'm especially cautious whenever I read something some reporter "expects" to happen -- the old "...people are saying that..." stories.

Do you have a Twitter? I believe this story was based on things that were tweeted by the source.

 

[Jrb1979]

I have not seen a single person with that attitude yet. Not in medicine, not in business, not in government...not one.

Maybe not in those places but I have seen quite a few people with that attitude.

 

[Hikergirl]

@erc and those that are more worried about the economy looks like business will probably be back to normal sooner rather then later. It sounds like the White House is going to suggest to people it will be ok to go back to work as long as they wear masks. Its sad to see that money is more important then peoples lives.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...20ea0a-6cfc-11ea-a3ec-70d7479d83f0_story.html

"Making a decision" and "Issuing guidelines" means nothing at this point.
Maybe you should hold off until you actually know what those decisions are, and what those guidelines are.


As far as money being more important than people's lives, I'm sure you are just being overly dramatic when making that statement.
There is no easy answer here- money is important to our lives, it is a necessity we can't live without. How many people are going to be struggling to live when this is over?
It's a harsh reality in times like this but one that can't be completely ignored. We will have to get back to normal at some point so why not have a plan in place? It isn't like that plan has to be set in stone.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Legit or not, its still scary that so many are more worried about the economy over peoples lives.

I think people don't really think about the economy in terms of our physical and mental health, livlihoods and all but they are quite tied together.

It's just easy to make extreme statements and harder to really dig down and think about ripple effects. I appreciate that some of us here have been trying to think about the ripple effects; more of us need to

 

[mrodgers]

lol.

You must not be practicing social distancing. The point is to stay away from people. He was well aware we were there and he was putting stuff away in the aisle not things right where we were standing. Everywhere else people were politely saying "oh do you mind if I can get in there, etc" as they were trying to maintain distance.

Truly I think the employee was just not thinking about the distance factor. It's like going up for a handshake or hug and realizing no wait not supposed to do that right now. Everyone harps on everyone to do this all together. It was more or less me pointing out it's not only the customers who fail to maintain distance at times.

I must not be practicing social distancing? Ha, I have lived social distancing for 30 years, LOL.

 

[JimMIA]

Do you have a Twitter? I believe this story was based on things that were tweeted by the source.

I don't read twits.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I must not be practicing social distancing? Ha, I have lived social distancing for 30 years, LOL.

Ok..then you understand my comment

 

[RamblingMad]

Legit or not, its still scary that so many are more worried about the economy over peoples lives.

The problem is that healthcare is tied to employment in the US. We don’t have nationalized healthcare, so if you lose your job, you lose your insurance. Great system, right?

 

[JimMIA]

Truly I think the employee was just not thinking about the distance factor. It's like going up for a handshake or hug and realizing no wait not supposed to do that right now.

That particular situation is causing major culture shock here in Miami right now, lol.

Here, the only way to say hello is an "abrazo" and a "bessito." If you don't, you get, "Baby, you mad at me?"

But we're adjusting...slowly.

 

[skyblue17]

I don't read twits.

Ok. Well. Just know that things are said on Twitter that may not be said directly in a press conference by people who give press conferences, so it's not always some unfounded interpretation by the media. That is true in this case.