Is it time to stop the whole "coronavirus" panic?

The rates of infection is growing, as evidence by the increasing testing positive percentage rate, in many areas - including Arizona and Texas.

 

Are you accounting for surge testing of specific demographics? (I’m focusing on Texas because I’m not up on Arizona’s numbers or causes.)

I am. And incidentally those demographics are prisons and meat packers. Both climate controlled environments.

 

Thank you for the information.

I do like Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight--although I had not yet seen this.

One of the more interesting (and accurate) statements, I think, was this:

"They’re not trying to tell us one precise future, but rather the range of possibilities given the facts on the ground."

 

~ It's just hopeful thinking and anticipation of more dire disaster, doom and gloom to blame on Trump. ´

 

I am unaware of any State that really discloses that level of detail, but I will take your word for it if you say that a significant percentage of the new Texas cases are coming from meatpacking plants and prisons.

 

It is to be expected anytime you try to predict the future, but especially when you are trying to predict the future of a novel virus which is directly influenced by the decisions and actions from hundreds of millions of people.

 

I’m taking the word of their governor. Apparently they are surge testing those populations. Like I said, you certainly could be right on Arizona. I’m ignorant of what’s going on there.

 

326 corona daily new deaths in the whole USA today per Worldometer. Lowest since March 26. There is a well established downtrend in daily new deaths in the whole USA since mid April.

COVID is over. The people are going to have their summer their way and not listen to any governor.

 

Deaths lag behind cases and there are several places where the cases are hitting new highs. This virus is very, very far from over.

 

The fear is subsiding for most people. I’ve been reading a bit about how fear and anxiety affect our physical health, especially the immune system. I’m concerned for those unable to come to grips with this pandemic. If the virus doesn’t get them, heart problems or risky impulsive actions may.
https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/impact-fear-and-anxiety

 

The fear and anxiety created by this virus is justifiable.

 

That’s like saying we should encourage suicide because it’s justifiable. Bizarre.

People who were prepared for this had no reason to fear.

How long are you going to let this control your emotions and physiology? Let’s say in 10-12 months there is a vaccine. You get the vaccine but it’s only 80% effective. Or 50% like the flu vaccine some years. No vaccine is 100% effective. Do you feel safe at that point? I doubt it.

What if there is never a vaccine? Are the health consequences of living in constant fear worth the benefits of being part of a social group based on that collective fear? When will people realize fear is used to control them. You don’t “fear” alcoholism, driving on public rogads, or obesity, do you? How about the Hong Kong flu?

Oh, I’m LOL at your tweets. If you are trying to appear rational don’t supply tweets saying the virus is designed to kill and is highly intelligent. That just supplies more evidence all this fear is based on ignorance. And the tweeter is supposed to be a healthcare professional. Geez.

 

That analogy is...just what the ****? I never implied that we should encourage killing yourself.

I started to prepare for this virus back in late February and I still fear this virus - not because I think it will kill me, my wife, or my toddler. But because I fear that it will kill hundreds of thousands of people worldwide and could potentially kill or severely harm loved ones in my life who are elderly or have pre-existing conditions. That is entirely rational.

Yes, I fear alcoholism, driving on public roads, and covid-19. Those fears are hopefully proportional to the probability associated with the harms and risks imposed by each of those potential dangers. And right now, covid-19 is one of the most dangerous because it is novel and it is contagious.

That fear will decrease as we get to the point where we have safe and effective vaccine.

That specific portion of her quote is, of course, hyperbolic. The virus is highly efficient and it is deadly, but it is not "intelligent" and it is not "designed to kill" in the sense that most people would attach to those phrases.

But why would you laugh at the other aspects of her tweet which detailed why this virus should be feared even if it doesn't kill you? The virus creates damage to the blood vessels and that damage can show up in the heart, the lungs, the liver and literally all over the body.

 

Keeping people in a state of fear kills them. Irrational tweets like you provided contain misinformation designed to stoke fear. Healthcare professionals should be more responsible. I’m not implying you advocate suicide. I was simply making the point we shouldn’t encourage fear. It’s counter productive.

So you were a panic buyer responsible for shortages?

It may be rational. Depends on if you are talking about fear or concern. Here’s a cotton candy explanation of the difference but it conveys the point nicely.
https://medium.com/@wordsbybrit/concern-vs-fear-78881404d97d

It sounds to me like you may be concerned about alcoholism, and driving but have some fear of C19. The reference to “novel” makes me think that. And the fact Hong Kong flu doesn’t concern you at all apparently.

And if there is no vaccine?

It’s stupid and irresponsible because it’s a healthcare professional who is supposed to know a bit about biology making untrue claims about science for emotional effect. How many times have you chastised people for calling C19 the “flu”? Yet you post trash science denying tweets to demonstrate why I should fear a virus.

It is not particularly efficient or deadly. That is a fact.

I laugh because we are told to fear the virus but not the “unintended” verified consequences of stoking that fear. It isn’t rational to promote something we know destroys the immune system in the midst of a pandemic. It’s time you ask yourself why it’s being done anyway by people that ought to know better.