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Heard something about this on one of Sam Harris' two podcasts on the subject this week - that this is typically because of a false negative test (indicating rec
by djaychela 7y ago
Heard something about this on one of Sam Harris' two podcasts on the subject this week - that this is typically because of a false negative test (indicating recovery from the virus) during what in reality is a longer, uninterrupted period of infection.
- taeric 7y agoPlease be crisp on this. That is one hypothesis, but do we have the data yet to make sure it is the answer? I'm doubtful. Could also be unknown recall rates on the test. Could be plenty of things.
- xeromal 7y agoWhat does crisp mean in this context.
- tomrod 7y agoExact quotes and precise figures. Gives the intellectual "crunch" in an arena with lots of speculation.
- taeric 7y agoI am just meaning to be clear and not to stretch claims beyond what we know. So, for example, I have a hypothesis that this is mainly baseline lung damage causing severe cases. That said, I cannot claim that is what it is. I'm sure I have been sloppy and pushed this idea some without being clear it is just a hypothesis of mine. That said, I try and be clear with that message.
- cblades 7y ago"mainly baseline lung damage" could you expand on what you mean there?
- taeric 7y agoCopying from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22562362 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22562362 The part of Italy hit also has air quality, per aqi searches, that is comparable to the region in China that was hit hard. Have people looked that it is not age, but baseline damage to your lungs that is the main factor in serious cases? Older people will have more exposure to local air pollution, just from having lived longer. That existing damage can be what contributes to complications, right?
- mensetmanusman 7y agoI believe this article is about one data point.
- gundmc 7y agoSam's conversation with Amesh was terrific. It's eerie to think of this extraordinarily disruptive event as a "dress rehearsal" for a similarly transmissible contagion with a much higher fatality rate.
- bart_spoon 7y agoThere already are/have been contagions that are as or more transmissible (in terms of R0) with much higher fatality rates, like SARS, MERS, polio and smallpox. But its difficult for a disease to get widespread or sustain itself when its both highly transmissible and deadly, because it often is instantly noticeable when individuals are sick, when outbreaks occur, and so its easier to contain and it burns itself out quickly.