Is It a Pandemic Yet? • Hacker News Board

Re: Is It a Pandemic Yet?

#11

Post by nickjj » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 2:39 PM UTC

SolaceQuantum wrote: post #6

rdlecler1 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems that a number of publications have lowered there paywalled for coronavirus articles. As an important public service article, it seems like a crappy thing for the NYT to keep it up.

I suspect because its an opinion piece, not actual news.

That's a funny business model for a news site.

Paywall everything except really important critical news which isn't an opinion piece and end up in a situation where 99% of your site is paywalled. So basically almost everything written isn't important enough to consider reading.

Re: Is It a Pandemic Yet?

#12

Post by Swizec » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 2:39 PM UTC

We were looking into Covid-19 at the office and after digging through the scariness we realized mortality rate for healthy 30-somethings is around 0.1%.

Then we said screw it and stopped worrying. We’re most likely gonna be fine. Even if it becomes widespread the odds are ever in our favor.

Plus there’s already a few confirmed cases in SFBA so ...

Edit: for the downvoters, I’m not say spread disease with wonton abandon, I’m saying don’t worry about dying. You should obviously be always careful of proper containment procedures even if you just hve the sniffles. At the very least wash your hands after blowing your nose.

Re: Is It a Pandemic Yet?

#13

Post by James_Henry » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 2:41 PM UTC

remote_phone wrote: post #4

Of course it is. The officials at WHO failed us because they are more worried about the politics than the truth. This type of behavior will make us not trust them in the future.

I think that a misunderstanding of the official definitions that the WHO uses is maybe what has "failed us". The WHO has been pretty alarmist and helpful in getting people to prepare. They also were instrumental in getting China to start reporting clinical diagnoses as well.

The world is going to keep trusting them in the future, and of course we're going to keep thinking for ourselves as well.

Re: Is It a Pandemic Yet?

#14

Post by throwaway5752 » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 2:41 PM UTC

remote_phone wrote: post #4

Of course it is. The officials at WHO failed us because they are more worried about the politics than the truth. This type of behavior will make us not trust them in the future.

It may not seem like it, but when you say things like, "The officials at WHO failed us because they are more worried about the politics than the truth" you are peddling conspiracy theories.

Re: Is It a Pandemic Yet?

#15

Post by irq11 » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 2:42 PM UTC

Thankfully, this is a relatively mild virus. Part of what makes it hard to detect is that most cases (>80%) are mild, and many are actually asymptomatic:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-asia...

The vast majority of people who have died have been elderly and/or infirm. The death rate under 60 is well under 1%. If you’re young and healthy, this is a chest cold.

The biggest thing the media needs to do is to walk back as much of the panic and overreaction that has been circulating as possible.

(edit: thanks to HN’s overbearing moderation system, I am unable to respond to replies. The censor-downvoting of factual information is apparently not a problem for HN mods, however.)

JoeAltmaier, to respond to your comment, unless you know hundreds of elderly people, about the same number of people you know will die as in the average flu season. Do you find yourself regularly worried about the flu? Perspective is important.

Re: Is It a Pandemic Yet?

#16

Post by ropiwqefjnpoa » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 2:43 PM UTC

Swizec wrote: post #12

We were looking into Covid-19 at the office and after digging through the scariness we realized mortality rate for healthy 30-somethings is around 0.1%. Then we said screw it and stopped worrying. We’re most likely gonna be fine. Even if it becomes widespread the odds are ever in our favor. Plus there’s already a few confirmed cases in SFBA so ... Edit: for the downvoters, I’m not say spread disease with wonton aband…

Yeah, I stopped worrying a few weeks back after I saw the mortality rate. It's basically a highly virulent flu with the same risk factors. Not on the same level as sars and the like.

Re: Is It a Pandemic Yet?

#17

Post by jraby3 » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 2:43 PM UTC

Swizec wrote: post #12

We were looking into Covid-19 at the office and after digging through the scariness we realized mortality rate for healthy 30-somethings is around 0.1%. Then we said screw it and stopped worrying. We’re most likely gonna be fine. Even if it becomes widespread the odds are ever in our favor. Plus there’s already a few confirmed cases in SFBA so ... Edit: for the downvoters, I’m not say spread disease with wonton aband…

Isn’t it easy for these young 30 somethings to spread it to their families? Don’t any of them have young children at home? Interact with elderly parents? Not sure this is the best line of thinking.

Re: Is It a Pandemic Yet?

#18

Post by dpau » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 2:43 PM UTC

Swizec wrote: post #12

We were looking into Covid-19 at the office and after digging through the scariness we realized mortality rate for healthy 30-somethings is around 0.1%. Then we said screw it and stopped worrying. We’re most likely gonna be fine. Even if it becomes widespread the odds are ever in our favor. Plus there’s already a few confirmed cases in SFBA so ... Edit: for the downvoters, I’m not say spread disease with wonton aband…

yeah so let's not give a damn about infecting others???

Re: Is It a Pandemic Yet?

#19

Post by wozniacki » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 2:44 PM UTC

remote_phone wrote: post #4

Of course it is. The officials at WHO failed us because they are more worried about the politics than the truth. This type of behavior will make us not trust them in the future.

Please cite defensible sources.

The past weeks have been filled with mostly sentiment-heavy reports either downplaying it as just a mere flu, with no masks worn even in places like Tokyo - or on the other end of the spectrum - overblown sensationalist videos of people dropping like flies.

We need more credible and helpful reports not just hearsay.

Re: Is It a Pandemic Yet?

#20

Post by James_Henry » Mon, Feb 24, 2020, 2:44 PM UTC

> And what should each of us do, beyond staying informed and washing our hands frequently? Keep calm and rational. It might be worth stocking some reserve of critical medications, for example — but not too much, because hoarding could create shortages.

> We, as individuals, can also try to plan for basic contingencies. Companies can cross-train key staff members so that one person’s absence won’t derail the business. Family members and friends should be watchful of one another’s health and welfare, and stand prepared to care for the moderately ill if hospitals become overtaxed.

> “Pandemic” isn’t just a technical public health term. It also is — or should be — a rallying cry.

I would add that it is helpful to have a stock of at least 3 or so weeks of food and supplies so that you can, if needed, quarantine yourself and take care of yourself and your family/relations well. There isn't enough hospital space for everyone and a lot of people with the virus aren't sick enough to take that space from the those that really need it.