The Morbid Politics of Corpses

[kentuck]

It was just a few weeks ago that we were told there were only 15 cases of the virus and they would soon be to zero. Today is a much different story.

Today we are told that 100,000 deaths might be "acceptable". Under what circumstances can any sane person say that 100,000 deaths is "acceptable"?

It was sad to see Dr Fauci and Dr Birx so involved in this discussion. One can only imagine why?

"Dr Fauci and Dr Birx, if we could have a private discussion this afternoon? I would like for you to elaborate on the possibility of 100,000 - 200,000 deaths from this virus. I think we should be straight with the people. If you can get graphs or charts, that would be great. Do you think you can do that for me? We want to be straight with the people."

We can only imagine how the conversation may have gone?

But the purpose was purely political. Whether or not Fauci and Birx knew they were being used for political purposes is probably irrelevant?

In the morbid mind of Donald Trump, he was thinking about how he could use their expert and authoritative words to his advantage? Regardless of what number they gave the public, he could spin it into a political victory. When the epidemic ended, and there were less than 100,000 deaths, he could say it was because of his great leadership. If there was more than 100,000, he could say that some people had estimated over 200,000 deaths, so they did an incredible job. If there were a million deaths! If there were a million deaths, he could say that some people thought there might be over 2 million deaths.

His thoughts are not with those that have died or their families, but about how he can spin whatever happens into a political victory. It is beyond sad. It is morbid. Playing politics with the dead bodies of Americans.

[pat_k]

1. I want to see the models of the lives that would have been saved by swifter action.

Models and projections of hospitalizations and resources needed over the next few weeks are critical. We must do our best to prepare. I want to know every way possible that we can keep the number of deaths lower, given our current situation. We must focus on responding to the situation we are confronted with.

However, at some point, I think we deserve an answer on the question of how many lives could have been saved if testing capacity had been ramped up to the March 15 level on February 1? How many lives could have been saved if clear warnings from the CDC had moved state and federal legislatures to appropriate money by the end of January to prepare? If aggressive testing, tracing, and quarantine programs were underway in the first weeks of February?

At some point, I want to see those models.

[pioche4]

2. I totally agree...and would like to see those models as well

The American public deserves to have that information. S. Korea learned about their first case ON THE SAME DAY as the US.

T's lack of executive response and cavalier attitude denied citizens as a whole, the right to an aggressive and appropriate threat response.

I think the positive that will come at the cost of many lives in the US is that the US CAN change behavior...people, a LOT of people, are staying home. But it could have been so much better...better testing, better (or rather existent) centralized supply chain...

Now that wouldn't have translated into BETTER PROFITS, which is why I feel in my gut, is the reason that there was and continues to be a completely failure of government to respond.

[pat_k]

3. If anything good is to come out of this...

... I hope it is a renewed sense of how interconnected we are, and how much we rely on each other. Not just within our own borders, but across the globe. An understanding that any of us can be "thrown for a loop" and need a hand up. (It's not some stereotype of "those people" looking for a handout. It is me, you, your neighbor, your sibling, your parent or grandparent.) We need a basic income. We need something different. We need the most fortunate among us -- the top 10% who own 70% of our nations assets -- to make some serious investments in the health of the nation (economic, social, and physical) in the form of a wealth tax.

I'm trying very hard to resist getting lost in anger at the lost response time and focus on seeing the ways so many people, state governments, university labs, private labs, hospitals, and other business are stepping up to deal with what is in front of us. I don't want to get too lost in "what could have been," but as I look at where we are, I know it didn't have to be like this. It is difficult to set the rage aside, but I think I need to -- at least for the moment.

According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at University of Washington the nation is about 15 days from peak hospital resource use. The "peak" resource use date for each state is a different (e.g., NY and MI 8 days to peak; WV 32 days to peak, MS 21 days), but one thing is clear. Things are going to get grim over the next three weeks.

https://covid19.healthdata.org/projections

[Hermit-The-Prog]

4. closest I know of ...

You've seen this before, but others might not have.

Coronavirus: The Hammer and the Dance

(I had to open each chart and graph in another tab from the article, for some reason).

[pat_k]

5. Thanks for the reminder!

My bookmarks are getting unmanageable -- I need to do some organizing.