Not going to get involved in this discussion as I truly believe that you can't argue about 2 things - politics and religion - as each has their own opinion and each is entitled to their own opinion.
However, I will state some true facts about the numbers that aren't being reported.
First, the total numbers of deaths ARE real BUT they are also, in my opinion, very skewed. The fact is that those death totals are real but what is also fact is that over 80 % of those that have died are over the age of 65 OR had major underlying health issues. That doesn't mean that the deaths aren't tragic because they are but that doesn't mean it was strictly the virus that killed them. It played a part in the death but the underlying issues were the main reason they died. The common flu could have killed them.
Also, on the deaths, we had a 17 yr old here in Louisiana that "supposedly" died of the virus and it made national news as one of the "youngest" to have died from the virus. Friday, the boys father came out and asked for the media to please leave the family alone as the boy died from heart failure and the virus had nothing to do with his death. The national news has not "retracted" their comments and I am sure he is still listed as a casualty of the virus.
We also had a nurse here who was in her early 30's who supposedly died from the virus. Her "boy friend" found her dead in her kitchen and blamed the hospitals for not testing her. Now, it appears that the coroner has said that she did not die of the virus but was murdered and the boy friend is a suspect.
Did the media change that story ? Of course not.
On the "confirmed" cases - are those factual - yes they are. But to use the "confirmed" cases and the "confirmed" deaths is not what it seems when it comes to the virus. To use just the confirmed cases and deaths and make a percentage number out of that, and say the virus killed, say 10% of those infected, just isn't a fact.
There will be 80 % of the people in the USA NOT get tested. That doesn't mean that half or more than half don't have the virus, as, they probably do. They were just not ill enough to warrant getting tested. Sean Payton of the Saints got tested ONLY because he is Sean Payton. He only had a cough and low grade fever and if that have been me, they would have not even tested me. He got tested on a Monday, got the results that Thursday and was back at work the following Tuesday, less than a week after the results.
My point on this is that the so called "numbers" are skewed. To say that there is a certain percentage of deaths due to those who had the virus is not true as over 80 % of the people won't even be tested, and common sense will tell you that there is a high % of them that have/had the virus and their bodies fought it off.
Is this a serious thing - of course it is. Is it something we will get thru sooner than later, I believe we will. You can't just look at the numbers that the media wants you to see, because, bad news sells papers, get hits on the websites while good news doesn't.
Just my opinion and also some facts.
Stay safe everyone.
Good and fair post, baseball dave, and I certainly agree with you about the politics and religion angle.
That said, I think to be fair, that we cannot draw any conclusions until hopefully WHEN all the dust settles.
Obviously the percentages up to now are higher in places like Italy, because they an older population than does the USA.
And yes i do agree with what you said about Sean Payton, etc.
And lets be real here-the fact that Tom Hanks and his wife became infested as well as other celebrities, simply by who they are, scares people and gives many
the feeling of "Oh my God, if it happens to them it can certainly happen to me."
I am not saying stuff like this is right or wrong, but rather "It is the media being the media."
On the other hand I do believe the absolutes numbers of infections and related deaths are real-of course there are some exceptions like you cited.
And yes the people who have actually died SO FAR is relatively small to those who have contracted the disease.
However, imo we still do not understand the Virus in its entirety meaning that there COULD be mutations which are more resistant to treatment.
On the other hand, the malaria and other related cures look promising.
As I stated several times of late including today, imo the emphasis right now should be upon flattening the curve and bringing everything under control so that
fewer people are infected and more importantly die than on conspiracy theories.
I for one certainly hope sbd's comments that this crisis will mark the end of the current way in life exists for mankind and augur in the Utopian one come true.
One last thing as it applies to me only(and sorry if it sounds a bit selfish):
I live in Massachusetts and check not only the daily stats not only for the world and US but for Mass. and most importantly for my particular city
and county and use that as a guide to how I will live my day and what I will do.
Well I checked the stats yesterday and noticed that in my county at the moment there are only 30 known positive cases and a couple of deaths out of a population
of 161,000 in the county.
Now first of all to be clear, I am doing all the things recommended for everyone (and even more so as I am 75 and allegedly more at risk) such as multiple
hand washings during the day, social distancing, etc. staying away from crowds and staying home for the most part.
However, I refuse to stop living-a few times a week I go shopping for food when my much younger wife is preoccupied and also get takeout food when
I/we want some.
For example, yesterday at lunchtime, I decided that i wanted a quarter pounder with cheese and Mcdonalds as well as a fountain Coke rather
than the canned or bottled type which for me is ok but not as good.
Well to cut to the chase, initially I had a fear of going inside (I prefer that to drive through as it is usually quicker) because of fear that whoever made the
burger or dispensed the coke might have the Virus and possible cough or sneeze into it or someone else who was working there, meaning I would get it.
Then I thought about it and using my gambling statistical type of mentality, decided that the risk of contracting it was small, and that even if I did,
my chances of surviving it were good because(and not to brag) speaking from a heredity point of view, I have very good genes and most
of family historically speaking lived to quite old ages.
Anyways I went it to restaurant, which was empty, ordered my food, went home, washed/rinsed the bags, the paper surrounding the burger and top
cap and paper cup of Coke-and yes I enjoyed it quite a bit as it was the first time in about a month that I have gone there.
I hope my point is clear here, namely to do what seems right for YOU based on whatever criterion one uses in a case like this while at the same
time practicing the overall common sense suggestions suggested by the CDC and others.
My prayers to everyone for you and your families and to the country and world!
ps One other thing that most of you probably can't relate to as you are not old enough:
On a personal note only, I was a bit more terrified back as a kid in the fifties of having my life ended instantly because of a Soviet missile attack than the Virus.
Along the same line I still vividly remember my first year in college back in 1962 when during those fateful days on October lots of us were huddled in dorm rooms
terrified of the Cuban Missile Crisis and how possibly our lives might end in days if not hours or minute because of the Nuclear War immediate threat!
