This is way worse than we thought even a week ago. The death rate remains much higher than the flu, while we continue to get confusing and contradictory messages from the White House.
Facts.
- In the US, the number of diagnoses has tripled over three days.
- The death rate is just shy of 2 percent – about 20 times greater than the regular flu.
- Italy remains the worst-affected country, with almost 25,000 confirmed cases and 1800 deaths – a death rate of 7.2 percent.
- Contrary to what you may have heard, Italy’s population is NOT the oldest in Europe – Germany’s people are slightly older – and many other countries are almost as old as Italy.
What will protect us?
Not this…
- face masks. those regular face masks are useless. Unless the facemask is specifically designed to eliminate most airborne moisture – and you have been trained specifically in how to fit the mask – it won’t protect you.
- Unless you are already ill – in which case those regular masks help limit others’ exposure.
- A vaccine. There will NOT BE A VACCINE for at least a year.
- Drugs – THERE ARE NO MEDICATIONS TO TREAT COVID-19.
This.
Wash your hands. Use alcohol-infused wipes.
Stay home.
Avoid any close contact with anyone you do not KNOW.
Sorry, grandma…I didn’t mean to kill you. For anyone younger than 30 or older than 60 reading this – forgive me for generalizing, but please stop doing stupid stuff. Going to St Patrick’s Day events, senior dance parties, concerts, beach parties, and bars won’t hurt you much (unless you are diabetic, asthmatic, have pulmonary issues, are obese, or have an immune deficiency (which you may find out the hard way) – but it will kill others who get Covid-19 from you.
Finally, what’s with this obsession with toilet paper?
If this is the beginning of the zombie apocalypse – which it most definitely is not – I’m thinking we should be ensuring there’s enough nutrition to go into our bodies – if there isn’t, we will not have to worry about taking care of what exits our bodies.
Okay, after ten days of nothing but Covid-19 blog posts, we’re going back to our regularly-scheduled focus on healthcare, healthcare policy, and workers’ comp stuff.
Thank you for this informative update
You are welcome Debbie!
Joe-
Are you saying that the US Surgeon General and Dr. Fauci are wrong OR is this just more political partisanship on your behalf. It seems you don’t fully respect healthcare providers and may believe they need to be micromanaged. May we suggest a medical license before you suggest any of the above?
Hello IPTCA – Thanks for asking – much appreciated!
Unfortunately Dr Fauci et al have been repeatedly contradicted by President Trump. Note I said “confusing and contradictory” messages.
When Trump:
– shakes hands,
– slaps backs,
– states anyone who wants a test can get one,
– announces during a prime-time Presidential address that there is a ban on trade and cargo from Europe,
– states that insurance companies will “have agreed to waive all copayments for coronavirus treatments”,
– states the death rate will be a “fraction of 1 percent” — based on his “hunch,”
– says “warm weather will kill the virus”,
– states “a vaccine will be available soon.”
he is directly contradicting Dr Fauci et al, and/or demonstrating dangerous behavior, and/or making false statements, and/or flat out lying.
Hope that clarifies things!
Joe,
Avoiding contact with anyone that you do not live with is even safer from what I read. Cutting off the spread through a lack of contact is important despite what some politicians have said recently. Saving the lives of people requires this, which unfortunately is bad for the economy.
Thanks Jeff – appreciate this welcome reminder.
update above ,,,with current\recent\germane supported numbers ,,good work.