OK, how would you deal with the Covid Conundrum

[Wu Wei]

I am reading a lot of things lately as to how the Pandemic should have been handled better, or the handling of it was botched. I am seeing it politicized, made into a patriotic stand, and vilified. There are countries that worked hard to get it under control, there are countries that did nothing and there are countries that denied having a problem. There are politicians, medical professionals and layman all complaining, pointing fingers and using it to justify all sorts of things. There people that are all for following the guidelines, people against following the guidelines and people who could not care less either way. Add to that most discussions go political and never ever approach their idea of a solution, or a better way to deal with it.

Frankly, I don't have a clue. I personally think we are reopening just to close again and I feel an actual solution is a vaccine...but then there are also those against vaccines.....

So, what is you idea?

And try to not make it political....but I'm betting it will go that way just the same.....

 

[Rational Agnostic]

I am reading a lot of things lately as to how the Pandemic should have been handled better, or the handling of it was botched. I am seeing it politicized, made into a patriotic stand, and vilified. There are countries that worked hard to get it under control, there are countries that did nothing and there are countries that denied having a problem. There are politicians, medical professionals and layman all complaining, pointing fingers and using it to justify all sorts of things. There people that are all for following the guidelines, people against following the guidelines and people who could not care less either way. Add to that most discussions go political and never ever approach their idea of a solution, or a better way to deal with it.

Frankly, I don't have a clue. I personally think we are reopening just to close again and I feel an actual solution is a vaccine...but then there are also those against vaccines.....

So, what is you idea?

And try to not make it political....but I'm betting it will go that way just the same.....

I think a treatment/cure is more likely than a vaccine, and it's the only sustainable solution, particularly if my suspicion is correct that COVID will become as common and permanent as the common cold. People, being social animals, aren't going to "social distance" forever, and a vaccine is unlikely to work well in my opinion (the flu vaccine is not very effective, for example). The other solution would be that the virus mutates to become weaker, and just becomes another cold. Apparently there have been a few scientists who suggest that there may be signs this is happening. I am not claiming that they're right, but we can all hope they are.

 

[Secret Chief]

I hope we get a vaccine, but that could be months off and unlikely to give lasting protection. And remember, the common cold is a coronavirus.

 

[Nakosis]

I am reading a lot of things lately as to how the Pandemic should have been handled better, or the handling of it was botched. I am seeing it politicized, made into a patriotic stand, and vilified. There are countries that worked hard to get it under control, there are countries that did nothing and there are countries that denied having a problem. There are politicians, medical professionals and layman all complaining, pointing fingers and using it to justify all sorts of things. There people that are all for following the guidelines, people against following the guidelines and people who could not care less either way. Add to that most discussions go political and never ever approach their idea of a solution, or a better way to deal with it.

Frankly, I don't have a clue. I personally think we are reopening just to close again and I feel an actual solution is a vaccine...but then there are also those against vaccines.....

So, what is you idea?

And try to not make it political....but I'm betting it will go that way just the same.....

Personally, it makes little sense to blame anyone. Too little information to predict the best course of action other than trying to limit the spread in the most practical manner possible. We each, IMO, have to take on that responsibility. Complaining about this or that government is not really helpful.

 

[icehorse]

It could well be that anyone politicizing this situation is committing crimes against humanity.

What we need is thoughtful, nuanced leadership. For example, we should be diverting MASSIVE energies to research. We are in desperate need of good data. Who is most at risk? What are the mortality rates across different demographics?

Without data we don't know if we're crashing the world economy for good reason or not. And it all gets down to the data.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I am reading a lot of things lately as to how the Pandemic should have been handled better, or the handling of it was botched. I am seeing it politicized, made into a patriotic stand, and vilified. There are countries that worked hard to get it under control, there are countries that did nothing and there are countries that denied having a problem. There are politicians, medical professionals and layman all complaining, pointing fingers and using it to justify all sorts of things. There people that are all for following the guidelines, people against following the guidelines and people who could not care less either way. Add to that most discussions go political and never ever approach their idea of a solution, or a better way to deal with it.

Frankly, I don't have a clue. I personally think we are reopening just to close again and I feel an actual solution is a vaccine...but then there are also those against vaccines.....

So, what is you idea?

And try to not make it political....but I'm betting it will go that way just the same.....

I think people need to make their own decisions and make choices affecting their own destiny based on the information given.

My view is that people are willing to drive the entire country into the ground to the point of unsustainability over a simple fear brought on by a moderate pandemic. What a wonderful trade-off.....yea.

There are people out there who don't want this craziness to ever end, and others who wish this craziness would end right now.

I'm with the latter camp.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I am reading a lot of things lately as to how the Pandemic should have been handled better, or the handling of it was botched. I am seeing it politicized, made into a patriotic stand, and vilified. There are countries that worked hard to get it under control, there are countries that did nothing and there are countries that denied having a problem. There are politicians, medical professionals and layman all complaining, pointing fingers and using it to justify all sorts of things. There people that are all for following the guidelines, people against following the guidelines and people who could not care less either way. Add to that most discussions go political and never ever approach their idea of a solution, or a better way to deal with it.

Frankly, I don't have a clue. I personally think we are reopening just to close again and I feel an actual solution is a vaccine...but then there are also those against vaccines.....

So, what is you idea?

And try to not make it political....but I'm betting it will go that way just the same.....

I think that the Canadian approach has been pretty reasonable. I think the key -which has been lacking in the US approach - is to address the financial needs that people and businesses have had during the restrictions caused by the pandemic, such as:

- emergency benefit payouts - that are actually large enough to live on - to people who lost their jobs due to COVID-19

- subsidies to businesses that lost significant revenue due to COVID-19

- subsidies to commercial landlords, but on the condition that they not evict their struggling tenants

It hasn't been perfect, but I'd say that in large part, we've avoided the dilemmas that are happening frequently in the US, where workers and business owners have had to choose between financial ruin or exposing themselves to a deadly disease.

 

[Wandering Monk]

God damned politicians. Do any of them care about the citizens of this country?

 

[Nakosis]

I am reading a lot of things lately as to how the Pandemic should have been handled better, or the handling of it was botched. I am seeing it politicized, made into a patriotic stand, and vilified. There are countries that worked hard to get it under control, there are countries that did nothing and there are countries that denied having a problem. There are politicians, medical professionals and layman all complaining, pointing fingers and using it to justify all sorts of things. There people that are all for following the guidelines, people against following the guidelines and people who could not care less either way. Add to that most discussions go political and never ever approach their idea of a solution, or a better way to deal with it.

Frankly, I don't have a clue. I personally think we are reopening just to close again and I feel an actual solution is a vaccine...but then there are also those against vaccines.....

So, what is you idea?

And try to not make it political....but I'm betting it will go that way just the same.....

I think testing will be the key to fighting the virus. I don't know if we could have sped up the process of making the testing available however now that it is available, I'd make it as convenient as possible to get tested. The state/counties of California have really pushed for this.

 

[metis]

1 Everyone must wear a mask when in public.

2. Listen and follow the directions of the scientists and economists.

3. Keep doing 1 & 2.

 

[Quetzal]

I am reading a lot of things lately as to how the Pandemic should have been handled better, or the handling of it was botched. I am seeing it politicized, made into a patriotic stand, and vilified. There are countries that worked hard to get it under control, there are countries that did nothing and there are countries that denied having a problem. There are politicians, medical professionals and layman all complaining, pointing fingers and using it to justify all sorts of things. There people that are all for following the guidelines, people against following the guidelines and people who could not care less either way. Add to that most discussions go political and never ever approach their idea of a solution, or a better way to deal with it.

Frankly, I don't have a clue. I personally think we are reopening just to close again and I feel an actual solution is a vaccine...but then there are also those against vaccines.....

So, what is you idea?

And try to not make it political....but I'm betting it will go that way just the same.....

In my opinion, the biggest thing missing in the US has been a unified response of urgency and compassion. Imagine, instead of the conservative talking heads proclaiming COVID a hoax, that both sides of the aisle addressed the issue with the utmost seriousness it deserves. Instead of partisan bickering and virtue signalling, a unified response to address the issue at hand would promptly address many of the failings we are currently seeing.

1. A pandemic should never be a political platform, period. All questions and policy recommendations should be addressed and discussed by subject matter experts.
2. Patience needs to be demonstrated by the population when we are dealing with something new. Just because there is a pivot in how we understand something does not mean it is a hoax. It simply means we have new information and need to make changes accordingly.
3. The population needs to surrender individual convenience for the greater good of the community. What I find interesting is that many of the same "patriots" that proclaim to love their country have no issue with condemning their neighbors to COVID in lieu of their own personal comfort. We need to do better, too.
4. The federal/state government needs to allocate emergency funds to address the immediate need of the populace. That is what our taxes are for. If the government mandates that people cannot go to work, it is their responsibility to provide alternatives until their mandate can be lifted.
5. The government needs to issue a statement of confidence related to the supply chain. The hoarding that took place in the early months of this event could have been prevented. All that was needed was a statement from a governing body demonstrating confidence that goods would still be available.
6. Testing needs to be a priority, not a liability to be hidden because certain individuals would be embarrassed. Citizens deserve to know testing results and current trends related to cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. Obscuring or altering data is not acceptable.
7. International cooperation and collaboration should be encouraged, not demonized.

A lot of these are reasonable asks and the fact that the United States dropped the ball as badly as it did is an embarrassment. We must do better.

 

[sun rise]

Since this is a discussion and not a debate:

Massive spending from the Federal Government helping states ramp up testing.

Consistent and positive messaging from all levels of government about wearing masks and physical distancing. Without this the health care system will crater along with the economy going further into the toilet as we're seeing in Texas and Florida now.

Further, wearing a mask is a necessity so it needs to be mandatory with enforcement. Those who would put everyone's lives and jobs in jeopardy for their own selfish wants need to be arrested and charged accordingly.

Ignore the fanatic anti-vaxxers and the like - most people will get the vaccine once it's developed. Even if it only lasts a year, that's enough. Make sure the vaccine is available to everyone even those with no ability to pay.

I agree with what @icehorse wrote.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I am reading a lot of things lately as to how the Pandemic should have been handled better, or the handling of it was botched. I am seeing it politicized, made into a patriotic stand, and vilified. There are countries that worked hard to get it under control, there are countries that did nothing and there are countries that denied having a problem. There are politicians, medical professionals and layman all complaining, pointing fingers and using it to justify all sorts of things. There people that are all for following the guidelines, people against following the guidelines and people who could not care less either way. Add to that most discussions go political and never ever approach their idea of a solution, or a better way to deal with it.

Frankly, I don't have a clue. I personally think we are reopening just to close again and I feel an actual solution is a vaccine...but then there are also those against vaccines.....

So, what is you idea?

And try to not make it political....but I'm betting it will go that way just the same.....

The boarders should have been shut tight, testing, tracing, and quarantine ramped up, and lockdowns with an emphasis on we survive this together. And the lockdowns would be enforced, economic activity would be limited (and absolutely no movie theatres right now - those are the most worthless, useless, and needless things right now and theyll only serve to make people sick).

 

[Wandering Monk]

I think testing will be the key to fighting the virus. I don't know if we could have sped up the process of making the testing available however now that it is available, I'd make it as convenient as possible to get tested. The state/counties of California have really pushed for this.

So, there are two types of tests. PCR tells you if you are currently infected. Antibody tests tell you if you have contracted the virus in the past.

Problems:

You may show negative on a PCR test and the next day get exposed.

Also, no one know how long the antibodies persist after infection, so they may only help us know how many people have been infected recently. Still, the only way to know how widespread the virus has been is to do antibody tests. This could be random and use statistical models to get an idea of that. From that information we could get a better handle on the case fatality ratio.

 

[Heyo]

I am reading a lot of things lately as to how the Pandemic should have been handled better, or the handling of it was botched. I am seeing it politicized, made into a patriotic stand, and vilified. There are countries that worked hard to get it under control, there are countries that did nothing and there are countries that denied having a problem. There are politicians, medical professionals and layman all complaining, pointing fingers and using it to justify all sorts of things. There people that are all for following the guidelines, people against following the guidelines and people who could not care less either way. Add to that most discussions go political and never ever approach their idea of a solution, or a better way to deal with it.

Frankly, I don't have a clue. I personally think we are reopening just to close again and I feel an actual solution is a vaccine...but then there are also those against vaccines.....

So, what is you idea?

And try to not make it political....but I'm betting it will go that way just the same.....

Prepare for, by announcing and funding, a total lock down for 4 weeks. Ban all travel that isn't vital.
After 4 weeks, in theory, all distribution chains of the virus should have been broken.
Reopen business but keep borders closed to all territories that still have covid-19.
Should new cases flare up, repeat for the territory that is impacted.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

Given the economic impacts and the fact that stimulus packages are going out that are piling debt onto some of our countries, I think that government should adopt some frugality measures with respect to current/ongoing government spending, while at the same time funneling some of the saved cash into as much research as we can muster. These two things would, I feel, show the public that there is care being taken to try and mitigate the crisis on two fronts. Also - as others have stated - sending a clear, unambiguous and strong message that this is a dangerous time, and care should be taken by any and all responsible parties in any ways that it can be taken - such as following expert guidelines and being on the lookout and reporting worldwide the strategies that work best for containment and treatment.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Given the economic impacts and the fact that stimulus packages are going out that are piling debt onto some of our countries, I think that government should adopt some frugality measures with respect to current/ongoing government spending, while at the same time funneling some of the saved cash into as much research as we can muster. These two things would, I feel, show the public that there is care being taken to try and mitigate the crisis on two fronts. Also - as others have stated - sending a clear, unambiguous and strong message that this is a dangerous time, and care should be taken by any and all responsible parties in any ways that it can be taken - such as following expert guidelines and being on the lookout and reporting worldwide the strategies that work best for containment and treatment.

I think we need federally legalized cannabis to help make up for the lost revenue. Now more than ever. Its a cash crop, and states and fed are now more strapped for cash than theyve been in a long time.

 

[Altfish]

My biggest problem with the governments that appear to have handled the pandemic badly .. ie US, UK, Brazil .. is the lying and deception that has accompanied these governments.
We all know that the pandemic is exceptional, we realise that governments will make mistakes, get things wrong, that's ok as long as you learn from it and admit it.
If only Jacinda Ardern was leading every country

 

[sun rise]

Three more points:

California just opened up it's database and forecasting to people. COVID-19 data and tools - Coronavirus COVID-19 Response - that should be done on the Federal level.

Second, the Trump-supporting Republican governor of Texas just put reopening on pause due to the surge in cases. That could go further if things continue to worsen.

Governor Newsom was asked about using the legal arm of government to deal with mask refusers as one county is doing. He reminded the listeners that this is no different in principle from wearing a seatbelt or a motorcycle helmet from a legal point of view. Fair enough. Those who don't wear a mask should get the same "treatment".

 

[bobhikes]

I am reading a lot of things lately as to how the Pandemic should have been handled better, or the handling of it was botched. I am seeing it politicized, made into a patriotic stand, and vilified. There are countries that worked hard to get it under control, there are countries that did nothing and there are countries that denied having a problem. There are politicians, medical professionals and layman all complaining, pointing fingers and using it to justify all sorts of things. There people that are all for following the guidelines, people against following the guidelines and people who could not care less either way. Add to that most discussions go political and never ever approach their idea of a solution, or a better way to deal with it.

Frankly, I don't have a clue. I personally think we are reopening just to close again and I feel an actual solution is a vaccine...but then there are also those against vaccines.....

So, what is you idea?

And try to not make it political....but I'm betting it will go that way just the same.....

Non-political - Masks and Social Distancing should be enforced and not debated. It hurts no one and protects the masses.

Everything else is political and a balance against living your life. People will be hurt but as you said even with a vaccine people won't take it.