We cannot let the cure be worse than the problem

[Billinsd]

Is what the President tweeted. This is a great article. https://www.theblaze.com/op-ed/trump-tell-doctors-no

I agree with pretty much everything the author wrote. He did a great job articulating how many on this forum feel and are worried about. However, I didn't think about the consequential deaths of a prolonged high unemployment, broken supply chain, broken global economy, etc. Bill

 

[5MilesBack]

However, I didn't think about the consequential deaths of a prolonged high unemployment, broken supply chain, broken global economy, etc. Bill

It would seem that a lot of people are incapable of seeing or understanding anything past the "right this second". That's the problem with so many ideologies and actions that end in failure, but appear to be great on the surface. "Just reacting" will always have unforeseen consequences down the road.

 

[MattB]

From where I sit, it is the folks on this site who are proposing a steep curve/quick exit from measures to address COVID-19 to protect the economy strike me as the ones who are incapable of seeing or understanding anything past the "right this second".

 

[Billinsd]

I'm a planner by nature, experience, training, and education. It seems like the President and his staff are planning what to do in the coming weeks. They are weighing the pros and cons of helping the economy and businesses keep afloat at the risk of more getting infected. Emotions should be controlled and calm logic should prevail to avoid creating future suffering and possibly death if the economy and businesses collapse and people cannot get basic necessities.

 

[WCB]

From where I sit, it is the folks on this site who are proposing a steep curve/quick exit from measures to address COVID-19 to protect the economy strike me as the ones who are incapable of seeing or understanding anything past the "right this second".

I don't think 5MilesBack stated either way who was acting for only "right this second". I personally think both sides...the "everybody stay inside for ever" and the "let everyone go about normal business now" are not seeing the problems each one of those thoughts will cause. At some point though we do need to get back to work...all sides need to be looked at and the economy and peoples futures are part of it.

lets say we shut everything down for 6 months. Cases flat line and it seems we got a good grip on it. So then we would all probably agree to go back to work. Then two weeks later cases go back up because people are interacting again...do we shut it down again? When, as this discussion points out, do we cut off our nose spite our face? Again, this goes the other way too...at what threshold of cases do we keep everything shutdown?

 

[Deertick]

No one is talking about "flatlining" cases ... all scenarios consider herd immunity (i.e. >70%) to be the eventual outcome. The ONLY difference is if we overwhelm the system or not. Disruptions (economic or morbidity/mortality rates) are both very difficult to predict -- "getting it just right" probably is too much to expect.

Good luck to all out there -- whatever disruption bothers you the most.

 

[Billinsd]

The ONLY difference is if we overwhelm the system or not.

I agree we want to avoid overwhelming the system. That's REAL BAD.

 

[MattB]

I don't think 5MilesBack stated either way who was acting for only "right this second". I personally think both sides...the "everybody stay inside for ever" and the "let everyone go about normal business now" are not seeing the problems each one of those thoughts will cause. At some point though we do need to get back to work...all sides need to be looked at and the economy and peoples futures are part of it.

lets say we shut everything down for 6 months. Cases flat line and it seems we got a good grip on it. So then we would all probably agree to go back to work. Then two weeks later cases go back up because people are interacting again...do we shut it down again? When, as this discussion points out, do we cut off our nose spite our face? Again, this goes the other way too...at what threshold of cases do we keep everything shutdown?

Folk's perspectives have been pretty well articulated in other threads.

China seemed to be able to get things fairly well under control in Wuhan in ~2 months, so I do not think 6 months is a reasonable term.

There will undoubtedly be flare ups following a relaxation of social distancing orders, but I think we need to evaluate the response when those come, with the goal from.my perspective of keeping the number of active cases within the capacity of our medical system to address them.

 

[Texasbuckeye]

As I have mentioned before, the inevitable result of a shut down Is a flattening effect that results in a saw tooth pattern more than a smooth line. Each drop and resultant “resume normal activity” is followed by a small spike, repeat repeat....until herd immunity shows up or a vaccine or treatment. Given the number of people in the US and current infection rates, that could go on a long time, assuming those that survive DO create a suitable immunity and this thing doesn’t mutate more.
In the end, the result could be multiple shit downs, a large recession, and hopefully lives saved from virus but who’s telling what the life cost will be for the economic issues.

 

[WCB]

Folk's perspectives have been pretty well articulated in other threads.

China seemed to be able to get things fairly well under control in Wuhan in ~2 months, so I do not think 6 months is a reasonable term.

There will undoubtedly be flare ups following a relaxation of social distancing orders, but I think we need to evaluate the response when those come, with the goal from.my perspective of keeping the number of active cases within the capacity of our medical system to address them.

I agree mostly...I think China's problem is more than likely way worse than they let anyone know and they have been battling it since December. More than likely even earlier than that. I don't believe 1 thing that comes from China.

 

[MattB]

In the end, the result could be multiple shit downs, a large recession, and hopefully lives saved from virus but who’s telling what the life cost will be for the economic issues.

At least that explains the TP panic-buying.

 

[roosiebull]

Is what the President tweeted. This is a great article. https://www.theblaze.com/op-ed/trump-tell-doctors-no

I agree with pretty much everything the author wrote. He did a great job articulating how many on this forum feel and are worried about. However, I didn't think about the consequential deaths of a prolonged high unemployment, broken supply chain, broken global economy, etc. Bill

that was a good article, and the author seems on point through my eyes. I share his views, he is just better at articulating them without sounding offensive (most are looking to be offended right now)

 

[roosiebull]

Trump is in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" position right now, whatever he does will piss a lot of people off. hopefully most can see that. i'm pretty much at the point I will just trust the decisions he makes are the best of the options we have available.

he has been pretty solid in his term being decisive and making good decisions, he has exceeded my expectations of him when he became president..... but he's in a tough spot right now.

I guarantee he will be on his A game through this, but he has been thoughtful and decisive to this point in his presidency. when he was elected, my thoughts were he was the lesser of 2 evils, but I have gained respect for him from what he has done and how he's done it.

he does need to stay off twitter, but he's done a better job than I expected. he can't do right with this in everyone's eyes, he has the highest stress job in the world right now..... lots of eyes on him, and the decisions he makes in the near future will be tough (that's an understatement)

of course many will hate him regardless, but i'm glad it's him rather than some presidents we've had in the past, or presidents we could have had now.

 

[Midwest.Bushlore]

DOTUS response has been largely incompetent and clearly he's out of his depth. At this point he just needs to get out of the way and let the folks that know what they're doing handle this. The less he says and tweets the better. There's still a chance to get some semblance of a handle on this thing but every day it's going to be harder to put the toothpaste back in the tube.

 

[2blade]

If you leave everything shut down to long and throw the country into a depression, because we as a country consume so much from all over the world, you throw the entire world into a depression as well. This is the stuff world wars are made of.

 

[VTJ]

well, the rest of the country dosnt really care how much you hate Trump ... on the Wuhan Chinese Virus, 60% say he is doing a good job ... btw, his regular polling is also at a high level .....

Trump’s Handling of Coronavirus Approved by 60% in Gallup Poll

Some six in 10 Americans approve of the job Donald Trump is doing to combat the coronavirus crisis, pushing the president’s approval rating – 49% - to the highest of his presidency, according to a poll released Tuesday by Gallup.

www.bloomberg.com

 

[MontanaMarine]

No sense driving the train off the track because some of the passengers are sick.

It is a time that calls for sensible decisions that can reduce casualties....both medical, and economic.

 

[Wrench]

When comparing America to China,remember the Chinese have no civil rights. Watch the videos of the citizens being thrown in vans and hauled off. Here, that's a lawsuit.

Wuhan claims to have built a hospital faster than concrete can cure....so I'm a bit skeptical about comparing what I know to what they show.

 

[wysongdog]

The author did a great job of putting what I keep thinking in a article. The longer this country is shut down the worse it will be. I80 is so quiet right now it's scary. It's almost like driving on the interstate while it's closed. It's spooky. Work that was lined up is all on hold.... Contractors won't return calls because they are in limbo themselves and don't have any answers. My drivers keep asking when we going to work?? I can't give them a answer and that is a terrible feeling not to have an answer or even a idea..

 

[5MilesBack]

I80 is so quiet right now it's scary. It's almost like driving on the interstate while it's closed.

The roads are still packed here.....as usual. Haven't seen even a little letup on traffic during normal driving times.