On 3/28/2020 5:20 PM, AMuzi wrote:
On 3/28/2020 3:32 PM, jbeattie wrote:
On Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 12:18:08 PM UTC-7, Mark J. wrote:
On 3/28/2020 10:09 AM, AMuzi wrote:
On 3/28/2020 11:01 AM, Frank Krygowski wrote:

As usual, discussions here have devolved into childish name
calling by some, demeaning published facts and data, quick
political jabs, defensive changes of subjet, and "I know
better than anyone" allusions. Things get obscured.

So I'd like to get a direct answer, especially from Tom and
from Andrew.

Tom: Do you really think COVID-19 is no worse than an
ordinary seasonal flu?

Andrew: Do you really think COVID-19 is no worse than an
ordinary seasonal flu?

Of course, this is a discussion group. Others are very
welcome to give their opinion too.

BTW, our bike club now has its first member in intensive
care on a ventilator. I consider him a really good friend,
one of the guys who (almost) always came on my night rides.
He's much younger than me and has been a hell of a rider, a
daily commuter, fast and high mileage.


Up to here, yes. Death is not trivial to the fatality himself, but the
numbers haven't supported panic so far.

I will change my opinion when/if the numbers change [...]

Sadly, give it a week or two.Â* Cases are roughly quadrupling each week
in the US [based on CDC reports].Â* Exponential growth doesn't catch the
public eye when the absolute numbers are low, but those low numbers
don't last long.

We are solidly on track to eclipse the "regular-flu" numbers.

Mark J.

Plus, the whole idea with these Draconian measures is to limit the
damage.Â* If we don't have the damage, that means the measures were
successful and not that the measures were unnecessary -- unless there
is data indicating that the whole thing is a hoax or that the expected
infection/mortality rates without treatment were miscalculated.Â* What
we need is a clinical trial. No masks, social distancing, closed
business, extra ventilators, etc.,for some big city. Party on! Then
lock-down another big city and fill it with medical equipment and hand
sanitizer and then check the mortality rates in six months. Control
for temperature and region.Â* Obvious choice would be Huston and Dallas
or maybe Minneapolis and St. Paul. Nobody could switch cities.

I'm very pleased to have bought a bag of rice today at the local
Safeway.Â* It was the last one on the shelf -- a lone bag of Thai
jasmine rice.Â* No plain old rice. Lots of produce and other good
stuff.Â* The horders are really into rice, beans and toilet paper --
which makes a great high-fiber casserole.Â* Tons of people were out
walking around. We had this little pedestrian traffic jam on one of
our neighborhood walks with everyone trying to sort-out how to
maintain social distancing.

-- Jay Beattie.



I don't know but I suppose some of you survivors will think of us when
it's over.

Does the "us" in that sentence refer to people who are refusing
recommended health strategies?

It might be good to know who here is still engaging in close contact
with lots of the general public, attending parties, dating lots of new
partners, visiting sick relatives, never washing hands, licking
doorknobs, whatever.

You know, vs. who is doing what most medical experts say we should.
Maybe we can do our own mini-study. Check back six months from now and
see how everyone's doing.

We have one friend with whom we shared a six-foot-separated picnic. She
has no symptoms, but she had to take off her mask to eat. Other friends
(we've seen a dozen, max) have been almost as careful, but no masks.


--
- Frank Krygowski