I think far more people have had the disease than we know. This is from the antibody testings and from times when they test everyone and find the majority of those with the disease are asymptotic.
This is an assumption that is widely accepted by the medical community and epidemiology experts. I also expressed as much in my previous post. It is also believed that the actual death rate is likely higher than that reported, due to the early unknowns in when the virus may have arrived in North America, and early unrecognized cases.
I think the disease was here before it was confirmed to have been, and it only made headlines when it swept through nursing homes. I think a lot of people have had it already and don't even know it.
Again, yes it was likely here before we realized it. See my comment above. However, it was definitely being watched and was making headlines before it hit the nursing homes. There was a cruise ship full of cases that were let out here in California, if memory serves. We were aware of the virus and it was getting notice in the news before we knew of any cases in the US. When the nursing homes were hit and started to experience multiple deaths in a single facility, that made stronger headlines because the potential lethality of the virus suddenly hit home in a very real way.
I think the fears of the disease have waned a lot in response to the BLM protests. My governor won't let churches reopen because safety trumps the first amendment, but he's fine with the protests because we can't interfere with their first amendment rights.
People were already getting bored with the virus and were easing back on responsible behavior (social distancing and mask wearing) before the BLM protests. I was seeing it all over in my area, every time I went to a store to get some groceries. States were beginning to open up with safe-practices guidelines, which lots of people generally ignored. However, I donāt believe a single state (possible exception: New York) met the CDC recommendations of 14 days of declining cases before beginning to open. Yet they decided to open anyways. This happened on the heels of a number of protests by people who were demanding that the economy reopen, some of these protests included groups of men with rifles showing up at their State Capitol buildings. Why that didnāt trigger some arrests is a mystery to me.
The BLM protests were triggered by an atrocity. We donāt get to schedule these things for when it is more convenient. They happen when they happen. And it caused outrage and action, that was long overdue. This isnāt political. It is standing up for what is right and demanding that these atrocities must end.
We didnāt get to reschedule and postpone WWI until the flu pandemic was over. They happened together and each made the other worse. But the people at home took what steps they could to limit the spread at home. Maybe thatās the difference: we havenāt yet had 50 million people worldwide die from Covid-19, like died from the flu. Maybe we need 675 thousand American Covid deaths, as we had in the flu pandemic, before Americans will start taking this seriously. But that is exactly what we are trying to avoid.
My cousin in another state has documentation from his state that barbecues are limited to gatherings of 5, but protests to gatherings of 100.
The more data that comes out, the less these measures make sense. Some states have reopened without spikes in hospitalization. There's more and more data of people having mild or asymptotic cases of the disease, since we've expanded tests beyond those that require hospitalization.
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Some areas show spikes sooner than others. We live in a hugely mobile society where people from regions with higher known cases can travel to areas with lower known rates and can easily spread the disease. Trump is planning a huge rally in Tulsa, with no distancing, a packed stadium, and no mask wearing. Attendees are required to sign a waiver that if they get sick after attending, they will hold harmless. And Tulsa is one area where cases are spiking. The rally will bring in huge numbers of people from all over. How does this make any sense?
More and more, what is and isn't allowed is based on political opinions. In Europe, brothels are opening before martial arts schools. Why? Is that a safe activity with a virus? Why are the first amendment rights of protestors more important than the first amendment rights of churches?
If that is happening, I agree, it makes no sense. Hup, some absolutely stupid decisions are being made about opening the economy. Tattoo parlors, massage salons? That makes no sense to me either.
Iāve already commented above about the protests. But regarding churches, I cannot understand the confusion. Churches bring large groups together into close proximity, usually indoors. Close proximity can undermine the benefits of wearing masks. Multiple precautions are more effective than just one. People often sing or chant in religious services, which can spread the virus more widely than calm speech. Large religious congregations would be a likely source of spreading the disease. This is obvious.
It's political. It's all political. If you think it isn't, you've fallen prey.
I see a lot of stupid decisions being made. Some of it may be political. But that does not undermine the reality of this disease, nor the need to continue with diligent safety practices, even (especially) if the government isnāt willing to enforce it. Because we all benefit together or suffer together depending on how we behave.
