Open letter from Italy to the international scientific community • Hacker News Board

Re: Open letter from Italy to the international scientific community

#11

Post by freepor » Sun, Mar 15, 2020, 12:13 AM UTC

itcrowd wrote: post #4

Not sure why this is on the number 1 spot currently. This is a letter signed by non-experts (albeit sometimes scientists/engineers). To me, it comes off as the climate-change denier letters or 9/11 "truthers" letters. Please let the experts do their job. Don't spread uninformed opinions backed up by Facebook posts and panicked researchers with expertise "relevant to virus spreading" such as electronics, architecture…

The “experts” are not doing their jobs! In the US you would have expected the CDC under the President’s leadership to act decisively and promptly. Obviously this did not happen.

The randos are providing much more value than the experts in the US. Other countries like South Korea and Singapore have experts who are doing quite well.

Re: Open letter from Italy to the international scientific community

#12

Post by LeoNatan25 » Sun, Mar 15, 2020, 12:13 AM UTC

Here in Israel, ministry of health wanted a full lockdown. But business won, so only a partial lockdown is enforced, and they are shutting down only clubs and restaurants. People will still be able to visit parks, roam freely, etc. Today there was an article [1] that some idiot that was in quarantine left it and was arrested on the street. There is no discipline. A hard lockdown is likely the best option everywhere. It works, as evident in countries that have enforced it.

1: https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-5694758,00.html

Re: Open letter from Italy to the international scientific community

#13

Post by rozab » Sun, Mar 15, 2020, 12:15 AM UTC

itcrowd wrote: post #4

Not sure why this is on the number 1 spot currently. This is a letter signed by non-experts (albeit sometimes scientists/engineers). To me, it comes off as the climate-change denier letters or 9/11 "truthers" letters. Please let the experts do their job. Don't spread uninformed opinions backed up by Facebook posts and panicked researchers with expertise "relevant to virus spreading" such as electronics, architecture…

This letter doesn't make any contraversial scientific claims. Please, highlight anything you think is in doubt?

Re: Open letter from Italy to the international scientific community

#14

Post by edgecrafter » Sun, Mar 15, 2020, 12:16 AM UTC

itcrowd wrote: post #4

Not sure why this is on the number 1 spot currently. This is a letter signed by non-experts (albeit sometimes scientists/engineers). To me, it comes off as the climate-change denier letters or 9/11 "truthers" letters. Please let the experts do their job. Don't spread uninformed opinions backed up by Facebook posts and panicked researchers with expertise "relevant to virus spreading" such as electronics, architecture…

I hope you haven't read the reports from the medical frontline in Lombardie - They are making life or death choices now due to influx of ICU patient without enough equipment and medical staff exhausted and starting to get sick themselves

One frontline story among many here https://twitter.com/jasonvanschoor/status/123714289107769753...

Re: Open letter from Italy to the international scientific community

#15

Post by justusthane » Sun, Mar 15, 2020, 12:16 AM UTC

cknoxrun wrote: post #10

My co-founder and I are really struggling with the decisions ahead of us. We feel we should act quickly, and enforce our team to work from home, but the spread in our city is quite low for now. We also wonder how long this can go on, are we going to be isolated for months? We are at a critical point where we have just closed our seed round this past week. We have both put so much energy and time into this moment and…

Definitely do it. Way more people are already infected than we know. You can be proactive or reactive, and if you’re reacting it’s already too late.

Re: Open letter from Italy to the international scientific community

#16

Post by iRobbery » Sun, Mar 15, 2020, 12:16 AM UTC

Just from the start already i dont get a scientific feeling.

"In just 3 weeks from the beginning of the outbreak, the virus has reached more than 10.000 infected people."

Does this mean only tested 10.000 people? Reads a bit odd though too, i assume they were not infected already when the virus reached them?

"From our data, about 10% of patients require ICU (Intensive Care Unit) or sub ICU assistance and about 5% of patients die."

Is this from 10% of the people actually going to the hospital, or 10% of all tested, or 10% of all people that got the virus?

Re: Open letter from Italy to the international scientific community

#17

Post by leppr » Sun, Mar 15, 2020, 12:16 AM UTC

cknoxrun wrote: post #10

My co-founder and I are really struggling with the decisions ahead of us. We feel we should act quickly, and enforce our team to work from home, but the spread in our city is quite low for now. We also wonder how long this can go on, are we going to be isolated for months? We are at a critical point where we have just closed our seed round this past week. We have both put so much energy and time into this moment and…

Take comfort in knowing the whole world will slow down, your competitors included.

Re: Open letter from Italy to the international scientific community

#18

Post by michaelchisari » Sun, Mar 15, 2020, 12:17 AM UTC

cknoxrun wrote: post #10

My co-founder and I are really struggling with the decisions ahead of us. We feel we should act quickly, and enforce our team to work from home, but the spread in our city is quite low for now. We also wonder how long this can go on, are we going to be isolated for months? We are at a critical point where we have just closed our seed round this past week. We have both put so much energy and time into this moment and…

If working from home is an option, then you should absolutely make everyone work from home. Not let, make.

Re: Open letter from Italy to the international scientific community

#19

Post by mjoin » Sun, Mar 15, 2020, 12:17 AM UTC

cknoxrun wrote: post #10

My co-founder and I are really struggling with the decisions ahead of us. We feel we should act quickly, and enforce our team to work from home, but the spread in our city is quite low for now. We also wonder how long this can go on, are we going to be isolated for months? We are at a critical point where we have just closed our seed round this past week. We have both put so much energy and time into this moment and…

what if you wait and your employees get sick? if you're in tech, just implement a work from home policy right now. don't wait for the gov to do so. it's a matter of time. - a French

Re: Open letter from Italy to the international scientific community

#20

Post by tomp » Sun, Mar 15, 2020, 12:17 AM UTC

itcrowd wrote: post #4

Not sure why this is on the number 1 spot currently. This is a letter signed by non-experts (albeit sometimes scientists/engineers). To me, it comes off as the climate-change denier letters or 9/11 "truthers" letters. Please let the experts do their job. Don't spread uninformed opinions backed up by Facebook posts and panicked researchers with expertise "relevant to virus spreading" such as electronics, architecture…

By "experts" you mean the WHO who delayed declaring it an pandemic for more than a month? I think we're beyond experts already... it's time for leadership, decisive action after experts have failed across the board.