Originally Posted by AntiPeter

Silver is great, I agree. I won't argue that lockdowns aren't effective, my argument is the cost associated with them outweigh
the benefits.

This is not a pleasant or politically correct conversation to have, I think it becomes one of ethics and morality. In the end I think most people are in charge of their own health -- the decision whether to lockdown or quarantine is personal and should not be mandated by the government. This disease effects people so differently (from asymptomatic to death) treating everyone with blanket restrictions seems really overbearing and causes a lot of problems that haven't been discussed much yet.

Originally Posted by AntiPeter

There is no denial about COVID-19, but the current policies are rooted in hysteria. There are options that are much less destructive and traumatic while still protecting those at risk the best we can.

Originally Posted by majorpilot

The smart response is rooted in science. This is simple math. We blew a 6-8 week warning period because we didn’t believe science. Some states aggressively locked down and others did not. The ones that did will see the curve flattened and will be able to recover more quickly. Those that follow your mindset (this is too hard, we have to take a less severe approach) will have a tougher row to hoe.

The country is a big place with a lot of different approaches. There are places where people are carrying on like there is no problem; a guy in LA is laying hands on thousands of people every week. Why don’t you wait and see how that turns out before pushing some allegedly “less destructive” approach.

The hysteria here is in your post, and others like it, which imply the world will end or our economy will never recover. Stop it. It’s a false premise, the idea this could have been a nothingburger or the cure is worse than the disease is flawed. Do the hard work, plan for the contingencies, invest in the science, and next time these things can be avoided or better mitigated.

Or do it, just go out and be an economic driver. If this is all just hysteria, you’ll be part of proving its unjustified. People will overcome their fear, others like you will agree and you will help drive market recovery.

In the interim don’t tell us we are being hysterical. It’s called science.

Originally Posted by AntiPeter

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/30/coro...-fed-says.html

An unacceptable cost that is far more damaging than COVID deaths.

https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0811/the-cost-of-unemployment-to-the-economy.aspx

Hopefully it will be short lived as suggested.

Originally Posted by AntiPeter

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/30/coro...-fed-says.html

An unacceptable cost that is far more damaging than COVID deaths.

https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0811/the-cost-of-unemployment-to-the-economy.aspx

Hopefully it will be short lived as suggested.

Originally Posted by majorpilot

So what are you wasting time for on here then? Get out, start spending and buying, and get back to work! ACT!

Just don’t show up in the ER in a week or a month whining about trouble breathing, we will be busy.

Originally Posted by Blackhawk

Yeah, I'm just a pilot. But my wife is a physician. She still does some surgery but is primarily involved in the admin side. Living in the tristate area she is deep into this. I have to be careful about what I post as the last thing she needs is someone saying "But your husband said..." Some thoughts.
1. She hates the news. She thinks about 75% of what you read and watch about the virus is BS or overblown tripe. From both sides.
2. The numbers she is looking at indicate that it is still primarily hitting hard those who are older and with underlying health conditions. Will some young healthy people very get sick? Will some succumb? Of course. Happens every flu season. But you have to look at overall numbers.
3. Cost/benefit analysis of the economic impact. As she points out from her big picture perspective, you have to weigh the economic impact. At some point, the death toll from a near 100% lockdown of the economy and the social/economic impact can become greater than the death toll from the virus itself. Many great wars throughout history were precipitated by economic upheavals. Cumo said essentially the same thing but was given a pass. It's a decision that politicians will have to make, trying to balance the pluses and minuses. No matter the decision some will object. But remember, if you think science and medicine are devoid of politics you are sorely mistaken.
4. I haven't had a chance to talk to her in a few days, but last time I did she said the stories about NY hospitals overflowing was BS. Some patients had to be shuffled, but there was still capacity. Again, that was two days ago. It may be different today. But this was the part that was keeping her up at night. On the flip side, she has no issue using tents for hospitals. Apparently, during the Spanish flu, the recovery rate for those patients in tents/outside was actually better than those in hospitals. This is also why she encourages people to go outside but still practice social distancing if the weather is nice. If staying in the house she recommends opening windows if the weather permits.
5. The part about morgues overflowing. She predicted that when the lockdown happened and says it's more to do with the quarantine than the death numbers from the virus.
6. Flu shots. Get them. People talk about what the Koreans did right. She points out that their flu vaccination rate leads the world. The vaccination rate in Italy? Less than 50% amongst the elderly. The US actually isn't that bad. Number 3. Yeah, the flu shot may or may not help in combating Covid, but often it is not Covid that kills you but some other disease due to your weakened condition.
7. Wipe down the flight decks. It's a petri dish. For all the sniveling and wining we do I still see many who don't. I started doing this after bringing home several weird diseases. Up until this month, I often got funny looks and comments from FA's when I asked for wipes.
8. Finally, maybe this will stop pilots and FA's from going to work sick. I remember at a previous airline they made a big deal about a captain retiring who never took a sick day in 30 years and how proud the company was. My thought was "He's one of the idiots making us all sick."
Other thoughts, but that would get political and I'm trying to avoid that.

Originally Posted by paulcg77

No disrespect - I'm just a pilot too, and my wife is just a military primary care physician and has been for the last 15 years.
Per your #4: My wife's friends and our mutual military friends who are stationed in Portsmouth, DC and on the Comfort seem to disagree with what your wife is hearing. For all intents and purposes, the hospitals in NY, New Orleans and a few other places are overwhelmed to the point where some of my wife's military colleagues are being told to expect TDY to civilian hospitals in certain cities.