Why the Covid-19 Disconnect with Americans
By Dr. Kevin McNamee June 19, 2020
Because China did not allow an international team of epidemiologists and other scientists to enter their country in November / December 2019 to assess the virus origins and how to contain it, the virus spread and spread it did.
China allowed its citizens to travel the world knowing of the highly infectious virus which they tried not to admit they had lost control because they “Did Not Want To Lose Face.”
January 2020, the world was dealing with an unknown virus which had no vaccine or treatment. Some countries and cities did not have the hospital infrastructure to deal with it. People died. Many people died.
January 2020, only a few cases in the United States – specifically a nursing home. Key word – nursing home.
President Trump shut down flights from China except those Americans returning but these travelers were quarantined for two weeks.
Scientific models varied in their predictive infections and death rates with some saying the world is ending.
These models are only as good as the data. Accurate tests for the virus were being developed and then needed distributed for use. As these tests are performed it is becoming clear from the antibody tests many Americans have been infected and recovered.
Bill de Blasio wanted to shut New York down but Gov Cuomo said only the governor can do this. Six weeks later, the city was shut down. New York prepared for the worst. Converted a convention center into a hospital. USSN ship sat in the harbor. Both were unused.
Fast forward to today. We know
- New York Subway system has specific stops where they now know the virus spread. Epidemiologist and public health workers tracked infection in the community back to these subway stops.
- We know the vulnerable population are those over 60 years of age with comorbidity like asthma, COPD, heart disease, etc. If infected these individuals may die. Children are not as vulnerable. Under 60 with major comorbidity are at risk of death.
- Had Gov Cuomo closed New York down when Mayor de Blasio asked instead of waiting six weeks the infections and deaths would be lower.
- We know not to send seniors who just left the hospital having been treated for Covid back to their nursing home where they contracted it. Gov Cuomo compelled nursing homes to take these seniors. If the senior, after being released from the hospital, went to recover at a family members home they usually survived.
- We know many if the nursing home caretakers are working at multiple locations and are vectors between nursing home spread.
- We know that wearing the mask over the nose and face reduces floating virus in the air to infect others but it does not keep you from being infected. It also reduces the oxygen blood levels due to carbon dioxide level elevation under the mask. Not good for those with compromised lung profusion.
- We know doctors and hospitals are incentivized to diagnose Covid for more revenue. With hospitals sitting vacant waiting for the wave of Covid patients that did not happen. Hospitals are hurting financially due to less revenue of other services.
- We know the CDC Data is flawed by the doctor and hospital reporting inaccurate diagnosis but also the CDC is combining patients with symptoms but no positive Covid tests with those that have positive Covid test. It inflated the numbers making it great for media rating and doom and gloom but not reality.
- We know when Tuberculosis was prevalent in the 1930s those who tested positive were isolated in their home or sanitariums to recover. The public was not quarantined just the one infected.
- We know from the data, this is a flu, but it vegetates in the lungs not the sinuses or digestive track.
- We know that like any flu the elderly are vulnerable with the annual death rate for the flu being between 8,000 to 60,000.
- We know NY hospitals had empty beds but patients without Covid were taken to the area with Covid infected patients. It made the hospital look full from those not on the inside.
- We know if you get Covid and do not have comorbidity the chance of dying are about the same as the annual flu.
So why are we not isolating those infected instead of those who are healthy and not infected?
Why are we not shutting down the economy, everyone wearing masks, washing hands, disinfecting surfaces with the flus of past years? Why now?
Why are we all having to shelter in place in this situation and not previous flu seasons?
With the statement that “if it saves just one life” why have we not been forced to wear masks in a typical flu season? Why then do we not drive our cars at a maxim speed of 25 mph when we know this will save lives?
If the person knows they are at risk then shelter in your place of residence.
The scientific predictive models are getting better as understanding if the virus grows. The early predictions for most were very wrong. The rest of the country is not New York City. Other American cities do not have mass transit, highly populated areas and bad decisions by the Governor (contrary to Gov Cuomo’s press conferences). He should have listened to Mayor de Blasio.
The media has created the Church of Covid based on inaccurate data, emotional images that do not represent the typical American experience, peppered with doom and gloom scenarios.
Media benefits from high ratings and politicians have more control of us. All this at American’s expense.
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