Scholarship table
Coincidence or not?
This is kind of ridiculous. People projected in March where we would be today if we did nothing and we are pretty much exactly there. In other countries where they took decisive, nationwide action, they are well ahead and have largely eliminated the spread and deaths. Our own public health officials told us what to do and we didn't do it. They continue to tell us what to do and we aren't doing it and acting confused why it's not going away. We also need a plan that is national, not regional. You can't have different policies and rules across state lines when interstate commerce is vital to our national operations.A national shutdown with national financial support and universal masking regulations would have changed things radically. We didn't do that, so here we are, and if we continue to not do that, we'll be right here in September and November and February, especially as the latest studies are finding that herd immunity isn't working with this virus because the antibodies don't stay in the body that long and people are subject to being reinfected, especially those that had mild cases the first time around.
I largely agree with your post, but I have to object to "did nothing." It's wrong to dismiss the sacrifices the vast majority of people made during those first 6-8 weeks.It angers me every day that our citizens did what was asked, bought time, and it was squandered.
Except they initially told us not to wear masks for a very long time (when it was common to do so elsewhere immediately), and then they said we should. So a large portion of people ended up confused and/or skeptical, and now you'll never get the type of compliance needed to stem the tide.That initial "don't wear a mask" decree from public officials was probably the worst thing to happen in all of this. Tragedy.
I should have said we did nothing productive with the time, thank you. The time was completely squandered.I feel like this is a cop-out excuse and people are still vaguely using it today. We needed one coherent message from the top and it never came. It still isn't coming.Medical officials have been consistently preaching masks for months now and the message from the White House is basically just to let it run its course and go numb to the tens of thousands (if not hundreds) that will continue to die.
the initial decree from Fauci that the anti-masksers point to was in reference to medical masks and the PPE shortage. He urged people not to acquire them because medical personnel needed them. https://www.thestreet.com/video/dr-fauci-masks-changing-directive-coronavirus
They keep talking about starting sports and other things in January. What exactly is going to change between now and them that will enable that? No shutdowns, no mask mandates, no vaccine, we add in seasonal flu. How does anyone think January be better than September and sports are any more likely?
I'm not sure who is the 'they' you're referring to, but the Ivy League is not "talking about starting sports and other things in January." Their press release leaves it a completely open question by stating that: "A decision on the remaining winter and spring sports competition calendar, and on whether fall sport competition would be feasible in the spring, will be determined at a later date."https://ivyleague.com/news/2020/7/8/general-ivy-league-outlines-intercollegiate-athletics-plans-no-competition-in-fall-semester.aspxIn other words, they aren't promising or predicting anything about the future. They are simply telling people they will decide when they feel they have sufficient information.As for what might change, the response from Princeton's football coach seems particularly on point. He was asked by the NYT what might allow them to hold football in the spring, and "added that a vaccine, better therapies and people following health guidelines would be necessary if there were any chance of playing in the spring." Seems like a pretty realistic perspective.https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/08/sports/ncaafootball/ivy-league-fall-sports-football-coronavirus.html
We have higher numbers than ever. Why does any reasonable person think that people will suddenly start following those health guidelines? There is no way in hell a vaccine that is effective enough can be developed and more importantly deployed in time to impact January. And approximately 40% said they aren't getting vaccinated, so that seems to be a moot point anyway. It seems like a very unrealistic perspective.
More of a public heath failing than a healthcare system failing.
What's the difference? A difference without a distinction?
A system built around profit is not designed to redirect itself to widespread basic care. That's why states were bidding against each other for equipment, healthcare workers were being furloughed in a pandemic, and hospitals reinstuted elective surgeries early. Because our healthcare system is more concerned with profit than outcomes.
The difference is that we really do a good job of taking care of people when they enter the health system. The costs are clearly a problem, but we do well treating the sick and injured.But what we don't always do well is socialize the ability to prevent people from getting sick.
Does anyone think Marquette will be playing basketball against a non-con in November?
The difference is that we really do a good job of taking care of people when they enter the health system. The costs are clearly a problem, but we do well treating the sick and injured.
Counter point: a socialized system (which I support) run by incompetent leadership would still do pretty bad. Competence is so important for good government.
Or games in December or January or......