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Covid-19: the harms of exaggerated information and non‐evidence‐based measures

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11–20 of 462 posts

Re: Covid-19: the harms of exaggerated information and non‐evidence‐based measures

#11

Common sense needs to prevail over mania, numbers over hyperbole and science over conjecture. But even then, this is hard if our data is collected poorly and then poorly disseminated. So what is the answer then? Maybe a strengthening of resolve against all forms of panic? Is there a single event in history has been solved by panic?

What do you mean by “common sense”?

Re: Covid-19: the harms of exaggerated information and non‐evidence‐based measures

#12

Common sense needs to prevail over mania, numbers over hyperbole and science over conjecture. But even then, this is hard if our data is collected poorly and then poorly disseminated. So what is the answer then? Maybe a strengthening of resolve against all forms of panic? Is there a single event in history has been solved by panic?

What we need is more data. What is the % of Covid-19 cases that require hospitalization (and are people actually going to hospitals when they don't need to?) ? Is it 20x that of flu or 2x? We need random testing throughout the population to know true mortality rate and herd immunity.

[deleted]

Re: Covid-19: the harms of exaggerated information and non‐evidence‐based measures

#13
There's a tonne of speculation about CFR still at this time. Maybe I'm hyperbolic, but there are still ~1,500 serious/critical cases in China which is 1/3rd of all active cases. I have a feeling like the 4% CFR is high here because many of the COVID cases became clinical diagnoses instead of rtPCR; in other words, the Chinese physicians started using CT scans and clinical presentation to diagnose COVID instead of testing. Normal viral pneumonia diagnostic criteria is a chest radiograph and clinically compatible features (e.g. fever, cough, dyspnea, etc.). My take away is that they probably ran out of test kits and therefore many asymptomatic patients are out there.

As time progresses I have a feeling that the official CFR in China is going to spike soon when they start deciding to take people of ventilators, unless the CCP decides to pour massive resources into keeping these patients alive. Regardless, I have a feeling like the number of deaths/resolved is significantly lower than what it actually is and I wanted to nerd out here for a second because I love talking about medicine.

Edit: I want to say that I still think that we should be taking this entire pandemic seriously and am in no way commenting on this article's suggestion that we are in anyway over/underreacting. I'm making a comment on CFR.

Re: Covid-19: the harms of exaggerated information and non‐evidence‐based measures

#14

Common sense needs to prevail over mania, numbers over hyperbole and science over conjecture. But even then, this is hard if our data is collected poorly and then poorly disseminated. So what is the answer then? Maybe a strengthening of resolve against all forms of panic? Is there a single event in history has been solved by panic?

What we need is more data. What is the % of Covid-19 cases that require hospitalization (and are people actually going to hospitals when they don't need to?) ? Is it 20x that of flu or 2x? We need random testing throughout the population to know true mortality rate and herd immunity.

We have the data we need. We know how fast it grows, we know how bad it is. It's at least order of magnitude (as in, surely ten times) worse than flu:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Is_COVID-19_like_a_flu%3F...

As shown, in Italy there were 55 times more deaths per week (two weeks already) than the peek during the flu season. And it continues to grow.

> are people actually going to hospitals when they don't need to?

Surely no. In Italy, it is known that even the people who should go to hospitals can't be all admitted because the number of cases grows exponentially and fast, when uncontrolled. No limited resources could handle that.

People already die because the hospitals are too full.

Additionally, all people who are checked but than estimated to be able to survive without the hospital are advised to stay at home. But some of those still get sicker and die at home. That happens, infrequently for now, even in other European countries.

The reason people are admitted to hospitals is that they have so big problems breathing that they either immediately or at least soon have to be connected to the breathing machines. Which nobody would ever do to a healthy enough person, it's to save the life.

That's what are ICU on the graph above "intensive care units" -- the number of beds in typically small parts of hospitals where typically small number of people has to be connected to the machines to help them survive. Now the demand for those is huge.

And even 30-year old doctors get to have to be treated so:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11226440/three-junior-doctors-...

Re: Covid-19: the harms of exaggerated information and non‐evidence‐based measures

#16
post #5

So.... was this sponsored by the airlines or by the hotels chains? EDIT: After what happened in Spain and Italy, countries where the initial reaction was "let's not overreact", I don't believe any scientist can speak on those terms without a hidden agenda.

Whatever the numbers say, it is hardly the case that anybody has underreacted. Everywhere, we've always been at least three weeks behind the curve, which is an eternity when dealing with this virus.

Re: Covid-19: the harms of exaggerated information and non‐evidence‐based measures

#17
post #8

Common sense needs to prevail over mania, numbers over hyperbole and science over conjecture. But even then, this is hard if our data is collected poorly and then poorly disseminated. So what is the answer then? Maybe a strengthening of resolve against all forms of panic? Is there a single event in history has been solved by panic?

Some historians attribute the French Revolution at least partly to a mass hysteria of the idea that aristocrats were planning on starving the populace during a grain shortage. And feudalism was abolished as a result.

We can only hope it will happen again.

Re: Covid-19: the harms of exaggerated information and non‐evidence‐based measures

#18

Common sense needs to prevail over mania, numbers over hyperbole and science over conjecture. But even then, this is hard if our data is collected poorly and then poorly disseminated. So what is the answer then? Maybe a strengthening of resolve against all forms of panic? Is there a single event in history has been solved by panic?

>Is there a single event in history has been solved by panic?

Surely there's a historical figure who at some point fled in panic. Having survived, they then changed the world.

If you're having an asthma attack, running outside in a panic might get you away from the airborne allergen.

Re: Covid-19: the harms of exaggerated information and non‐evidence‐based measures

#19
post #5

So.... was this sponsored by the airlines or by the hotels chains? EDIT: After what happened in Spain and Italy, countries where the initial reaction was "let's not overreact", I don't believe any scientist can speak on those terms without a hidden agenda.

Whatever the numbers say, it is hardly the case that anybody has underreacted. Everywhere, we've always been at least three weeks behind the curve, which is an eternity when dealing with this virus.

Do you mean overreacted where you have written underreacted?
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