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Is it just me or does it seem the areas/people affected by this are more affluent than the average US citizen?
In some ways, that would make sense as people in those areas either have business or leisure travel that would take them abroad where the virus originated.
The rates are low or non-existent (West Virginia, Alabama currently) in poorer states that would have fewer people with a reason or the means to be traveling to hard hit areas in Asia or Europe.
I jokingly called it the globalization virus the other day. The more exposed to the outside world in terms of easy and frequent travel a place is the more likely it's going to see this virus blow up big time in the first month of it.
That's why I always assumed it's already prevalent here in the D.C. area. We don't just have tons of foreigners traveling here for conferences, official business etc., the people living here are also more likely than most Americans to engage in foreign travel for business and leisure. It's no coincidence that politicians seem to be affected significantly.
The interesting thing is that all over the world, borders are close and travel restricted as part of the response. The last 20 years of globalization have really opened the door wide for this pandemic, it will be interesting to see how much of the undoing of that which is currently occurring to defend countries against the virus will stick around afterwards. Will we go back to a more restrictive world order in terms of trade, migration and travel just out of sheer self-preservation?
People relying on grocery delivery are in trouble. I live in an area VERY GOOD for delivery. I have never experienced not being able to get a 6:AM time slot the next morning even ordering at midnight.
Right now the soonest I could get was in two days at 11:AM. Before I could agree to that time, it was gone. I got 5m, but it won't actually have the TP I ordered. Other items may go missing too. It depends on what is there at the moment the shopper goes to get it, nothing is reserved.
It's too early for drivers to be calling off, so this is more panic buying. Our Gov. said to STOP because they re-stock daily but people are NOT STOPPING.
Anyway, soon drivers will call off and people will still be panic buying and those relying on delivery won't be able to get it........as I type that I realize that will cause me to panic buy..............ugh.
But my question remains. If there is no treatment, or cure, and most people who have it are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, what difference does it make?
How are public health officials going to know if the number of cases are containing to increase, are holding steady, or are declining without doing any testing? Authorities need to have that information in order to decide when it's safe to reopen schools, allow large public gatherings again, etc.
How are public health officials going to know if the number of cases are containing to increase, are holding steady, or are declining without doing any testing? Authorities need to have that information in order to decide when it's safe to reopen schools, allow large public gatherings again, etc.
It's also absolutely vital in order to get usable data for projections on fatality rates, rates of hospitalization etc. which will determine many decisions on how to distribute resources.
There's also the simple fact that if widespread testing had been done over the last month, a lot of protective measures would have been taken earlier. Most people basically went about life normally without taking precautions when the case count for the U.S. showed only a few outside Seattle and the Bay Area. At that time it was almost certainly already quite prevalent. Some people may end up dying because they were intentionally kept in the dark about the true presence of the virus in their area and thus could not take the necessary steps to protect themselves.
Is it just me or does it seem the areas/people affected by this are more affluent than the average US citizen?
In some ways, that would make sense as people in those areas either have business or leisure travel that would take them abroad where the virus originated.
The rates are low or non-existent (West Virginia, Alabama currently) in poorer states that would have fewer people with a reason or the means to be traveling to hard hit areas in Asia or Europe.
Of course, and it makes sense. The virus came here by air (mostly) and by sea. So places with international airports and seaports would of course be hit first.
The problem, though, is that people are mobile, so it won't stay there. Alabama just saw its first case. Eventually SARS-CoV-2 will make its way into all 50 states.
On some level, focus on whats in your control. Wash your hands, stay away from sick people, and if you feel sick stay home. Also recognize that there seems to be a concentrated effort by certain people to and scare us more than is warranted.
There's nothing any of us can do about potential death rate, how fast vaccines arrive, or how many people might get the virus. Take simple precautions and dont obsess over it.
Of course I'll take the necessary precautions. I guess I was talking about on a national level not on a personal level. Guess we'll just take it one day at a time.
How are public health officials going to know if the number of cases are containing to increase, are holding steady, or are declining without doing any testing? Authorities need to have that information in order to decide when it's safe to reopen schools, allow large public gatherings again, etc.
Why is this important? Given what I previously posted, that there is no danger to children, or healthy adults, and that this virus is less deadly than others, and there is no cure anyway, why do we want the government telling anyone what to do? It’s a virus that most of us will fight off naturally.
It's also absolutely vital in order to get usable data for projections on fatality rates, rates of hospitalization etc. which will determine many decisions on how to distribute resources.
There's also the simple fact that if widespread testing had been done over the last month, a lot of protective measures would have been taken earlier. Most people basically went about life normally without taking precautions when the case count for the U.S. showed only a few outside Seattle and the Bay Area. At that time it was almost certainly already quite prevalent. Some people may end up dying because they were intentionally kept in the dark about the true presence of the virus in their area and thus could not take the necessary steps to protect themselves.
Absolutely, to both. Without data, we're flying blind. The large coastal cities needed to be preparing for this in early January; in the absence of testing, they got blindsided (hence a lot of the panic buying - people weren't psychologically prepared for the reality that the virus WOULD arrive on US soil sooner or later). But a lot of smaller towns off the beaten path may be shutting down things too early, damaging their local businesses unnecessarily. Having accurate information on where the virus is currently and how fast and to where it is spreading is critical information, and right now we're missing it.
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m, but it won't actually have the TP I ordered. Other items may go missing too. It depends on what is there at the moment the shopper goes to get it, nothing is reserved. 
