11 thoughts on “C-19 Chat Post – August 20 2020”

  1. South Korea is struggling with many new cases

    And on a proud mom note, my oldest as I have said is a member of her towns school committee. She got a stack of mail yesterday from teachers thanking her for voting for full remote. She and another SC member voted for remote. Three others voted remote and hybrid. I’m proud of my daughter but equally proud of the teachers for taking the time to write.

      1. Thanks, Phillip. Mass teachers union is Advocating full remote. She also got an email from the MTA chairman/head thanking her.

  2. Vicki, indeed South Korea is having a spate of new cases. But, the absolute numbers are not very high (eg, 288 today), and certainly manageable for the extensive network of contact tracers in that country.

    Germany’s 1,700 new cases yesterday was a bit alarming. Germany also has an army of contact tracers. But, if there are thousands of new cases every day, it becomes nearly impossible to contact trace. That unfortunately has been the situation here in the U.S. We’re also plagued by an underfunded CDC and contact tracing program. We’re basically combating Covid-19 with two policies: 1. Letting it burn through the country; 2. Addressing in a reactive way to the spread with physical distancing and mask rules in some places, but certainly not all.

    While the new daily caseload has diminished in recent weeks, and deaths have plateaued or decreasing slightly, there’s still a lot more deaths to contend with in the coming months.

    The U.S. will likely wind up with the highest death rate in the industrialized world (counted as deaths per 1 million inhabitants) by early October. I certainly hope a journalist will correct Trump when he falsely claims we’re “the best in the world.” No, Donald, we’re almost the worst in the industrialized world. Only 4 countries are ahead of us, and our rate increase is far outstripping theirs, so we’ll catch up and overtake them soon.

  3. Local conservative talk shows are ranting about the new mandatory flu vaccines for children and college students here in MA. Callers/listeners are organizing rallies at the State House in the coming days.

    1. I figured antivaxxers would have a melt down. It’s easy then. No shot, no school. I understand there are a few who cannot get the shot for various reasons. I understand if doesn’t always work. But I understand even more that Too many people who have flu also seem to have the inability to care enough to stay home. They then put many others at risk…cancer patients, babies under six months, expectant mothers, immune compromised adults and children And those who cannot get the vaccine for legitimate reasons. When did we become a self centered, self serving people.

      A crisis is supposed to bring out the best. This has surely also brought out the worst

      1. I just received my usual flu shot and at the suggestion of the CVS pharmacist, my shingles vaccine for the first time.

        It suddenly occurred to me. If a child or college student is definitely going all remote for the upcoming year, is a flu shot necessary? Are they exempt?

        Of course AFAIC, everyone should get their annual flu shot regardless.

        1. Per your post yesterday, I went to CVS and got my flu shot this morning. Thanks for reminding us all.

          I will never understand the anti-vaxx crowd.

          As a child, I read so much about Dr. Edward Jenner. Besides, of course, Dwight Evans and Terry O’Reilly, Jenner was my hero. Brilliant observational skills.

  4. Vicki wrote: “A crisis is supposed to bring out the best. This has surely also brought out the worst.”

    I so much agree with this. I realize this is an election year. But, goodness, our nation has done a terrible job dealing with a nationwide crisis. We haven’t come together as a nation at all. If anything, the novel coronavirus has exposed our fundamental weakness: Division. Individualism is great in so many ways, but it doesn’t do well in a public health crisis.

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