On Sat, 28 Mar 2020 14:34:18 -0500, AMuzi wrote:

On 3/28/2020 2:18 PM, 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. Cases are roughly quadrupling
each week in the US [based on CDC reports]. 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.


but having known
people who died of pneumonia from influenza, my point was
merely that it's the same death (and an unpleasant one at
that) to fewer people.

see also:
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/images/about...nza-burden.png


If influenza were unknown until this year, people would
freak out at forty million infected and 50,000 Americans
dead.

If you want to do something useful and patriotic, do
something about the even larger number of Americans who
die annually by _hospital acquired infection_. That
number is not getting smaller year over year- it's growing.



Another danger is a mental incapacity caused by a political
correctness infestation. From WMAL today:

https://www.wmal.com/news/yes-we-lon...uldnt-anymore/

Headline:
"Yes, we long have referred to disease outbreaks by
geographic places. Here’s why we shouldn’t anymore"

Main argument worthy of a failing grade in a high school
logic class:
"During the 2003 SARS outbreak, media coverage of the
disease led to the stigmatization of Asian communities in
countries such as Canada. It devastated Chinese-owned
businesses, especially those located in Chinatowns."

I looked for SARS on a map. Couldn't find it.

Perhaps in time all this will pass, just as we no longer use
"the French disease".

And the French used to refer to "the English disease" :-)
--
cheers,

John B.